


Feel Your Echoes

by Janie94



Series: Still Healing [2]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alpha!Marco, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Complicated Relationships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Infertility, Jealousy, M/M, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Omega!Mario, Omega!Robert, Past Rape/Non-con, Polyamory, alpha!thomas, past Robert Lewandowski/Marco Reus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-03 14:31:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 40,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8717596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janie94/pseuds/Janie94
Summary: Thomas and Robert have finally completed their mating bond. But with them becoming mates, new problems arise and soon they both have to realize that it's not so easy to draw a line under the past. Especially when you don't really want to...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have so many stories that I should finish first, but somehow my muse is not very cooperative these days and picked one of the 14 stories in my list that I haven't even started writing yet. *sigh*  
> But since 'Breathe Into Me' was one of my most liked stories, I'm positive you, my beloved readers, won't mind that I'm writing the sequel much earlier than expected. In case there are any new readers: Please read the start of this series 'Breathe Into Me' first, otherwise this story won't make much sense.  
> Oh, and one more thing: Most of you know me well enough to guess there will be drama in this story like in most of my others. I believe every good story needs a healthy dose of drama, so be prepared for a few problems to arise very soon.  
> So if you were expecting only fluff and smut, it might be better if you just interpreted the end of 'Breathe Into Me' as Robert falling unconscious because of the overwhelming feeling at finally being mated to Thomas. That's it, the end.  
> However I hope most of you will choose to read this sequel which will pick up right where 'Breathe Into Me' left off. The good news is that there won't be as many twists as in the first part, so that's something I guess... :)
> 
> This first chapter is a flashback to three years ago and more like a prologue that hopefully explains why Marco has become so possessive towards Robert, so my apologies for the lack of Thomas here.

 

 

Feel Your Echoes  


 

“ _Are you alright, Lewy?” his coach asks him concerned. “You look sick.”_

_He’s not entirely wrong. Robert has been feeling unwell the whole morning and his condition has got worse, he’s even developed a fever now._

_But it’s not because he’s sick, caught a cold or something like that. But Robert could never tell anyone the real reason, least of them all his coach._

_Jürgen Klopp is a strong and confident yet considerate Alpha, exactly the kind of man who Robert could entrust with his secret. But even if he could convince his coach not to tell the team that Robert is an Omega, he would still insist that the Pole attended medical examinations on a regular basis. Not to mention if he found out about the suppressants that Robert has been taking ever since he joined Dortmund three years ago…_

_Robert briefly contemplates telling him that there is no problem and he will finish the training session, but he has the feeling that it would be a lot more suspicious if he did that in his condition than just giving in and going home.  
“I don’t feel so good. I must have caught something.”_

_His coach takes his arm and guides him away from the training ground. “You should take the day off. Go home and let me know if you’re getting worse.”_

_He smiles reassuringly and Robert watches him closely, but the Alpha is not the least bit tensed and there’s nothing unusual about his behavior, so apparently Robert’s suppressants haven’t failed, they are just doing a worse job than usual. He walks into the locker room to grab his stuff and take a shower before heading home._

_He knows he has made the right decision to leave the training when he slowly gets out of his clothes and feels the fabric rubbing over his skin, making him feel even more uncomfortable than he already was._

_The warm water of the shower soothes his aching muscles and Robert remains standing under the spray an awfully long time, wondering what to do. Heats usually last a few days to a week and if he really decides to spend it like an Omega should, then he will need an Alpha._

_Robert grimaces at the thought and settles on going to the doctor if he’s not doing better tomorrow. Maybe there is another way, some kind of pill that will make the heat bearable even if he is going to be alone._

_When he eventually finishes showering and reaches for his towel, he picks up on something dark and heavy underneath the thick scent of moist air._

_Alpha._

_He whirls around unsure what to expect and finds Marco leaning against the wall, arms crossed and watching Robert with a carefully blank face, apparently trying to appear nonchalant. But his amplified scent gives him away._

_Robert is frozen in place, unable to look away from the amber eyes of the younger Alpha. His mind is racing, wondering if Marco can somehow smell Robert’s approaching heat. Because there’s no mistaking the shimmer of red tainting Marco’s eyes._

_Unhidden desire._

“ _How long have you been standing here?” Robert asks just to end the loaded silence between them._

_Marco takes a few slow steps closer, his eyes traveling down Robert’s naked body, making the Omega feel too self-conscious._

“ _Too long,” Marco responds. He blinks a few times to clear his mind. “I thought you were sick?” His tone is almost accusing._

“ _I am,” Robert replies instantly._

“ _You don’t smell sick,” Marco argues and comes closer until he is standing right in front of Robert, the red in his eyes now unmistakable. He inhales deeply before frowning in confusion, clearly having taken note of the sweet note in Robert’s scent. “Have you had sex with an Omega last night?”_

_Perhaps Robert should have just said yes and left Marco standing there. But Robert just can’t outright lie to Marco; he doesn’t even want to._

“ _That’s none of your business, Marco.”_

_He moves to turn away but is not fast enough to miss the look of anger entering Marco’s gaze and suddenly the blond surges forward and pushes Robert’s back against the wall._

_The older man winces as pain shoots down his spine, but it is quickly overtaken by longing at having the Alpha so close. And not just any Alpha; the one Robert has slowly been falling for…_

_Marco bares his teeth, his words barely more than a hiss. “Answer my question, Robert!”_

_Robert stares at the Alpha in confusion, wondering why he is so mad all of a sudden. His body begins to tremble, an involuntary instinct of an Omega to obey an Alpha’s command._

_Robert grinds his teeth as he ignores what his stupid Omega nature wants him to do.  
“I told you it’s none of your goddamn business!”_

_Marco growls and the sound makes Robert shiver violently. “Was it a one-time thing?”_

_Before Robert can respond, Marco has begun to scent his throat even though it’s clear to see that Robert doesn’t have a mating bite. Once again Robert is unable to suppress a shiver, but this time it is a pleasant one; his body reacting to the feather-light touch of the Alpha. It doesn’t go unnoticed._

_“You don’t want an Omega though, do you?” Marco whispers against his skin in a smug voice. “You want me.”_   
_Robert feels his heartbeat speed up and the dizziness of his approaching heat intensifying. He should get out of here as soon as possible if he doesn’t want Marco to find out what he truly is._   
_“Get away from me,” Robert says and tries to push Marco back, but the Alpha doesn’t move an inch._

_Instead he merely pushes closer, pressing his body so firmly against Robert’s front that the Omega realizes that he isn’t the only one who is affected by their proximity._

“ _Marco, what are you doing?” Robert asks confused. The younger man’s behavior isn’t making any sense at all._

_Marco presses his face into the crook of Robert’s neck, a strangely vulnerable thing to do for an Alpha. “I have no idea. All I know for sure is that I’ve wanted you for so long now. And I can’t blame it on desire only, after all you’re a Beta.”_

_Robert swallows hard at those words. He realizes that he wants to tell Marco the truth about his nature, not just because Robert has feelings for him but also because Marco may be willing to help him in his current situation._

_Robert knows he is so going to regret this, but he can’t help it. This is probably going to be his only chance at being intimate with the man he has fallen in love with. And he isn’t strong enough to resist it any longer…_

“ _I need your help.”_

_Marco stills at his strange tone before pulling back to meet Robert’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”_

“ _Me,” Robert answers, making the blond frown. “I’m wrong.”_

“ _Robert, what the hell are you talking about?”_

_Robert takes a deep breath, unsure how Marco will take the truth. If he will be glad to finally find out the reason why he has been attracted to Robert all this time or if he will be mad that Robert has been lying to the whole team for such a long time._

“ _I’m not a Beta, Marco” he confesses with a trembling voice. “I’m an Omega.”_

_Marco’s eyes widen is disbelief. “No, you’re not. You can’t be.”_

_Robert doesn’t say a word, he just waits for Marco to cope with the unexpected news. The Alpha has taken a step back and is shaking his head. “You can’t be an Omega. I would have known.”_

“ _I didn’t want anyone to know what I am,” Robert replies patiently._

“ _But why?”_

“ _Because I don't want people to treat me differently. I don't want something like this to hinder my career. You know how hesitant the top clubs are to buy an Omega because it's very likely that he will settle down and get kids in a few years.”_

_Marco takes a few seconds to think about his words before asking the crucial question. “But you never went into heat. Or skipped training for so long that you could have hidden a heat from the team.”_

“ _I've been taking suppressants for three years now,” Robert admits. “They made me pass as a Beta up to now.”_

_Marco's nostrils flare as he inhales deeply. “Not anymore. You're smelling like an Omega now and it's getting worse with every minute.”_

“ _I know. That's why I need to get home as soon as possible if I don't want the others to find out about me.”_

“ _What are you going to do once you get home? I thought Omegas in heat need an Alpha to take care of them.” Marco looks almost afraid of the answer and Robert is reminded of earlier when Marco was angry at the thought that Robert might have spent last night with another Omega. He wonders if the blond is even aware of his possessive behavior._

“ _Robert? What are you going to do?” Marco repeats._

_Robert takes a few seconds with his answer, but there is no choice. “I will need an Alpha to take me over and over again.” He notices that his words draw a disapproving growl from the blond and strangely this is what gives him the courage to ask, “I know it's a lot to ask, but you aren't in a relationship and the only Alpha I would feel completely comfortable with.” He makes a short pause to compose himself. “I need your help, Marco.”_

_The younger man looks completely surprised. “You want me to spend your heat with you?”_

“ _Yes. If you want to, that is.”_

_A smile begins to spread on Marco's face. “Are you seriously thinking that I could not want this?” He raises his hand to Robert's face slowly as though he can't believe that Robert would allow him to do this. “I'm honored that you chose me. And I promise I will make this the best heat of your entire life.”_

_He leans forward and for the first time Marco Reus' and Robert Lewandowski's lips meet in a soft kiss._

_The little touch sends shivers down Robert’s spine and he feels too hot and too empty; his heat rising to the surface and painful desire coursing through his veins, a fire that only the Alpha in front of him can quench._

_He opens his mouth and licks into Marco’s cavern, clearly taking charge of the kiss though the Alpha doesn’t seem to mind. Far from it, if his low groan is anything to go by._

“ _Robert, we need to get out of here. Before we’re both too far gone.”_

_Before the others find them and will know that Robert is an Omega._

_He doesn’t have to say it, Robert still understands and he is grateful for Marco’s consideration._

_He allows the blond to retreat to the far end of the shower, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down while Robert hastily puts his clothes on._

_Then he grabs his stuff and walks out of the room, Marco following him with a bit of distance._

_When they enter Robert’s car, the Pole dares to ask, “What are you going to tell the others? They will notice soon that you are gone.”_

“ _They will think I took your car and brought you home.”_

“ _And how exactly is that a good thing?” Robert retorts more harshly than what is perhaps necessary._

 _To his confusion Marco blushes. “I told Kloppo_ _that_ _I wanted to check up on you. After all I didn’t want anyone to search for me while I was watching you in the shower. I wanted us to be undisturbed.”_

_Robert doesn’t know if he should feel scandalized or rather flattered. “You knew that I wasn’t sick.” It’s not a question._

“ _I wasn’t sure,” Marco admits. “I figured if you were really feeling unwell, you would still need someone to take you home. I just couldn’t pass on the opportunity to be alone with you. Even if it was just to sit beside you on the bed and watch you sleep.”_

_His words make Robert’s chest tingle with warmth and before he can help himself he has leaned to the side and put a short kiss onto the blond’s lips._

_Marco fails to hide the smile. “Will you please stop doing things that threaten my self-restraint and keep both eyes on the road?”_

_Robert chuckles, but doesn’t protest. “I just wanted to thank you for helping me. I don’t know what I would do without you.”_

“ _It’s fine,” Marco replies instantly. “That’s what friends are for.”_

_Robert doesn’t look at him, but still raises an eyebrow pointedly. “Friends, huh?”_

“ _Okay, probably not the right term anymore considering what we’re about to do. I still can’t believe that this is real. You’re an Omega and you’re going to share your heat with me. It all feels kind of surreal.”_

_After a short moment of hesitation Robert reaches out and laces his fingers with Marco’s. “I know how you feel, I can’t believe it either. That you’re going to help me through my heat and I’m looking forward to it.”_

_He feels Marco’s eyes finally turn to him though Robert keeps his eyes on the road like the Alpha asked him to.  
“You’re looking forward to it? I thought you took suppressants because you hated heats.”_

_Under different circumstances Robert would have agreed.  
“I do hate them. Because I have to allow someone to take me, someone I barely know and who will think they’re doing me a favor and I should be glad that they are fucking me until I’m raw and bleeding.”_

_As soon as the words leave his mouth, Robert regrets them. They will only ruin the mood._

_From the corner of his eye he can see Marco freeze, then his grip on Robert’s hand tightens painfully. “What the hell are you talking about?”_

_The older man bites his lip. “It’s nothing, just forget about it.”_

_They pull up in his driveway a moment alter and Marco gets out of the car immediately and rounds the vehicle in record speed. There’s a dangerous glint in his eyes as he steps into Robert’s way to keep him from fleeing.  
“It’s not nothing to me!”_

_And Robert knows he has to tell Marco, the Alpha won’t rest before Robert does._

“ _Alright, I’ll tell you. But let’s get inside first.”_

_Marco gives a clipped nod and steps to the side, allowing Robert to lead them to the front door of his house._

_They don’t speak a word while Robert deposits his training bag and walks up the stairs into his bed room._

_He waits until Marco has sat down beside him on the edge of the bed before finally telling the story he has never told anyone in his entire life._

“ _It happened three years ago after my last game for Lech Posen. I guess they wouldn’t have dared to do something like this if they hadn’t known that I would be leaving the country and they would never have to deal with me again. Or perhaps they dared to do it because they were all drunk. They told me that they wanted to celebrate and I believed them. Our club had won the Ekstraklasa for the first time in 17 years and I was the top scorer, so I didn’t think anything of it when two of my teammates invited me over for a private party.”_

_He takes a deep breath. “I knew that I was due to go into heat that night, but they insisted that I should come over for one beer at least and I would be free to go should my heat really start. They were Betas and a lot older than me, so I thought they knew what they were doing. God, I was so stupid!”_

_He doesn’t realize that he is crying until Marco shuffles closer and pulls him into his arms, his hand rubbing soothing circles on Robert’s back. But his body is trembling and his scent is sharper than a few minutes ago. He is already furious. Robert breathes in the Alpha’s scent before he continues. “But it wasn’t just the three of us, not for long. Two of the Alpha players came over after half an hour and they must have sensed that I was close to my heat.” He feels a violent shudder running down his spine and Marco tightens his grip, the firm touch helping Robert to stay in the present as he forces himself to go on. “They say it’s almost impossible for a young and healthy Omega to feel pain during his heat, even if the Alpha is rough with him. That’s a lie.”_

_Marco growls and Robert buries his face in the other man’s neck instinctively. But now that he has started speaking, he can’t stop anymore._

“ _As soon as my first heat wave came, the oldest Alpha took me, the other one right after. I thought I couldn’t feel any more pain than after having taken two knots within one hour. I was wrong. The two Betas took me both at the same time and when they were finally done with me, I just wanted to die. I don’t know how long I was lying on the floor until I found the strength to stand up and get home. I was a different man by that time and one week later when my heat was eventually over, I started taking suppressants.”_

_When he is finally done, he feels emotionally drained. He has stopped crying, but he feels cold and empty. Now it is Marco who is weeping silently into Robert’s shoulder and the Omega is the one who is comforting the Alpha._

“ _God, Robert, I’m so sorry!”_

_Robert puts his hand to the back of Marco’s head and pushes it closer to his neck, forcing the Alpha to inhale his scent and remember that it is long past and he is here now. “It’s not your fault, Mars.”_

_Marco pulls back to look at him, his beautiful amber-green eyes replaced by terrifying, glowing red. “Tell me their names! I will hunt them down and I will kill them for what they did to you!”_

_Robert takes the Alpha’s face into his hands. “You will do no such thing. It was a long time ago and I have moved on.”_

“ _I don’t care,” Marco shouts. “They raped you and I want them to pay for that!”_

“ _Yes, they raped me!” Robert retorts with a surprisingly firm voice. “Do you have an idea of how many Omegas get raped every day and how rarely those responsible are brought to justice? Because nobody cares about slutty Omegas who should know better than going out when they’re close to their heat.”_ _He closes his eyes to try composing himself and not lash out at the one Alpha who deserves his accusations the least. “Just let it go, Marco. Don't chase the shadows of my past.”_

_Marco doesn't respond for a very long time and when he eventually does, there's an intense expression on his face, unlike anything Robert has ever seen before. An expression of grim determination and possessiveness._

“ _I won't let something like this happen to you ever again.” Marco's voice is barely human, yet it makes Robert feel more secure than he ever felt when he was in the presence of an Alpha. It sounds almost like a promise. “I will watch out for you, Robert. No one will dare to lay a finger on you without your permission.”_

_Marco's words are dangerous, Robert knows that. The Alpha has crossed a line, he's thinking of Robert like one would think of a mate. But the thought frightens the Omega not as much as it should perhaps. Marco is the only Alpha he has developed feelings for, the only one he wants to share his heat with. And who knows, maybe they will become mates one day?_

_A little smile tugs at Robert's lips as he pushes the thought away. First things first. “Marco.” The Alpha's eyes focus on his immediately, waiting for him to go on. “I'd understand if you changed your mind now that you know about me.”_

_The blond frowns. “What do you mean?”_

“ _Helping me through my heat of course.”_

_Marco looks at him as though he has lost his mind. “You just told me that you were brutally raped during your last heat and now you think that I could just leave you alone?” He leans closer until he is only inches away from Robert's lips. “I want to take care of you, now more than ever. Please Robert, let me help you. Let me be the one who will take you tonight.”_

_Robert feels his eyes sting with tears again. This time though they aren't tears of pain but joy. “You're the only Alpha I want, Marco. You will always be.”_

_It's the last thing that is spoken between them before their lips meet in passionate kiss and Marco makes good on the first of the many promises he made tonight. He takes care of Robert...._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to drive to a Bayern game more often, they seem to spur my inspiration even more. ;)  
> I had the first half of this already written two days after posting the first one, but only finished it today after writing for some of my other neglected stories.

\------------

 

“Robert!”

His eyes snap open and he is momentarily blinded by the brightness of the room. There's someone leaning over him, the scent of worried Alpha filling his nose and it is like a balm to his heart, soothing him despite the pain of his memory being still fresh in his mind. F or a brief moment Robert thinks it is Marco, the only Alpha he ever let into his wounded heart . But then the features become clearer and it takes him a few seconds to fully return from his intense memory and recognize that he is staring into the eyes of his mate.

“Thomas?”

The Alpha smiles and reaches out to stroke Robert's cheek tenderly. “Yeah, it's me. I'm so glad that you're finally awake.”

The memories of what made him lose his consciousness in the first place only return to him slowly, but after a while he remembers coming home from the hospital, kissing Thomas senseless and at last both of them in bed, the Alpha above him as his teeth sink into Robert's neck.

“We're mated now?” he asks, afraid that it was just a dream.

Thomas lowers his hand down to Robert's neck and when his fingers touch Robert's pulse point, it sends a wave of pleasure and pain down the Omega's spine, making him gasp loudly.

Then the Alpha leans down to lick over the spot softly and Robert closes his eyes and tilts his head back, giving his mate better access to the skin on his throat. Partly because he needs Thomas to erase the painful sting of his memories, partly because he senses that Thomas is still crazy with worry and needs confirmation that his mate is alright.

Suddenly there is another familiar scent, one from his past that makes Robert open his eyes instantly and for the first time since waking up, he doesn't focus on Thomas, but takes in his surroundings. And only notices now that he is in a hospital bed and Mario is sitting on a chair at the end, looking at him with visible relief. But it is the person behind Thomas that catches Robert's eye; _his_ Alpha even now that Robert is mated to someone else.

“Marco? What are you doing here?”

The blond sits down on the edge of the bed, a look of utter relief crossing his face. “Thomas called me as soon as you were admitted to the hospital and told me what happened. Mario, Erik and I came here as soon as we could.”

“Erik?” Robert asks and tries to sit up, but there is no trace of him. “Where is he then?”

“He had to return to training yesterday. Tuchel gave me the day off because he knew I would be worried sick if I couldn’t be with you. And then he realized that he had to give Mario the day off too, otherwise Mario would be worried about _me._ You can imagine his mood now.”

Robert has to grin at the thought, but then he belatedly picks up on the first part of Marco’s explanation. “Hold on. Erik left _yesterday?!_ How long have I been unconscious then?”

It is Thomas who answers him. “Three days.”

Robert stares at him with wide eyes. He was out for _three_ days? That’s thrice as long as Thomas was out after he had seen Marco’s bite and thought that his own mating bond with Robert was broken…

“I feel like such a drama queen now,” Robert admits, making both Alphas chuckle. “Most Omegas go crazy with lust when they finally mate with their Alpha. And what do I do? I fall unconscious for three fucking days.”

Thomas laughs. “Well, you certainly ruined the mood for me.”

Despite his words he leans down and kisses Robert gently, intending to pull back after only a short moment, but Robert’s hand grips the back of Thomas’ neck to hold him in place as he opens his mouth. Thomas complies immediately by pushing Robert back into the sheets, pressing him down as he slides his tongue into-

“Timing, guys!” comes a voice from the side and they break apart to look at Marco who is smiling apologetically at them. “I don’t think sex in the hospital is a bright idea.”

Both men blush and Thomas retreats back into the chair he has previously occupied while Marco comes closer, looking down at Robert with a thoughtful expression. “The doctor should be here any minute now. He wanted to talk to you about your breakdown.”

Of course he would. And Robert is curious to find out as well. “Does he know what’s wrong with me?”

Marco shakes his head. “We don’t think so. He just said it is very unusual for someone to completely black out during the mating like you did.”

“Perhaps it has something to do with my suppressants,” Robert considers with growing fear. “I’ve been taking them nonstop for six years now. We know that they already damaged my body irreparably, so it isn’t a far stretch to imagine they could be responsible for this incidence as well.”

“Good thinking,” a new voice comes from the door and they all turn to find a young doctor striding towards them. “But I can assure you this has nothing to do with your suppressants.” He acknowledges Mario with a polite smile before frowning at the two men at Robert’s bedside. “Who of you is Mr. Lewandowski’s mate?”

Thomas quickly glances at Marco nervously. “That would be me.”

The doctor nods before looking first at Marco then at Mario apologetically. “Then I have to ask you two to wait outside, please.”

Robert feels a wave of panic fill his chest and before he knows what he is doing he has reached out and grasped Marco’s wrist. “Please, can they stay? I don’t want to keep anything from them.” He looks over to Thomas, only realizing how this may look like. Newly mated Alphas are very possessive after all and given Robert's and Marco's history, Thomas would have every right to be hostile towards the older Alpha.

Thomas however doesn’t look upset. “Don’t look at me like that, of course I don’t mind. Marco is still your Alpha, of course he can stay.”

Robert feels a wave of gratitude for Thomas and quickly squeezes the younger man’s hand while Marco sits down on the edge of the bed again.

The doctor eyes the two Alphas curiously before focusing on Robert. “Mr. Lewandowski, may I ask what your relationship is to Mr. Reus?”

Robert frowns. That’s not exactly the kind of question he was prepared to get asked. “That’s a bit hard to explain.”

The doctor gives Thomas a nervous look as though he’s expecting an outburst from the Alpha before daring to look between Robert and Marco, “Have you two had intercourse recently?” Robert looks at Marco but the blond seems just as dumbfounded by the question, so Robert’s reply comes very hesitantly. “He helped me through my last heat two weeks ago. But we didn't have sex.”

The doctor writes something down on his clipboard, but otherwise seems unfazed. “And that is all? Mr. Reus spent that one heat with you and that was it?”

“No, it's not the whole story,” Robert admits. “I don'tthinkit's really important, but you know that I'm taking suppressants regularly, so I wouldn't have to go into heat,right?Actually my last one was three years ago and back then I had sex with Marco.”

The doctor finally looks up from his clipboard and eyes Robert with mild interest. “Let me ask you something regarding that. Were you two in a relationship between those two heats?”

The question is a simple one yet Robert finds it hard to answer it properly. “We weren't in a physical relationship. But after that heat three years ago, I promised Marco that I would be his Omega until I would find my mate. That I belonged only to him.”

The doctor's eyes light up in excitement, apparently he is close to solving the mystery of Robert's blackout. He addresses Marco next. “And you, Mr. Reus? Did you make a similar promise or was it one-sided?”

“Of course it was mutual. I promised Robert the same conviction; that I would be his Alpha until I found my mate.”

“You have only recently started the mating process as I can tell from the barely healed bite on your throat.” The man pointedly looks at Mario. “However Mr. Götze doesn't have a mating bite yet, so the mating bond hasn't been completed.”

“We were interrupted,” Marco says with a look at Thomas.

“And how long have you been in a relationship with Mr. Götze?”

“Since two and a half years ago.”

The doctor looks between Marco, Mario and Robert in surprise. “And you still helped my patient through his heat only two weeks ago?”

Annoyance crosses Marco's face and he growls quietly. “He didn't have Thomas back then. Robert still is my Omega and he asked for my help, so of course I came to take care of him.”

The doctor doesn't say anything for a long time. After what feels like an eternity he stands up and looks at Robert. “I think I have found the reason for your sudden breakdown. Unfortunately it's not something medicine can cure.”

Robert sits up on his bed, instinctively reaching for Thomas' hand the same moment that Marco grips his other hand in a display of support. The doctor smiles humorlessly. “Mr. Lewandowski, Mr. Reus, you have seen each other as mates for too long. Neither of you may have initiated the mating process, but your bodies have become so accustomed to each other that you have forged a bond that is similar to the one which two mates share. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was only about desire or attraction. But you just confirmed that there are feelings involved and it's clear that both of you have never completely moved on from each other.”

Thomas tightens his grip around Robert's fingers, but when the Pole looks at him, his eyes are still trained on the doctor. “Of course they haven't. I don't think Mario and I will ever expect them to, not after all the things that happened between them.”

The man sighs and his face softens, sadness entering his eyes as he looks at Thomas. “That's very honorable from both of you, but you're missing my point. I'm not judging them for still loving each other, I'm just trying to explain it from a medical point of view. And it's a fact that a mating bond is created for two people. And their bodies, perhaps even their hearts have seen the other as their mate for years now. And then the mating bond is completed with you, Mr. Müller.” He takes a deep breath before going on. “I never heard of such a case, at least not of ones that involved love. Perhaps this strange connection will fade with time. Or it could also fade once Mr. Reus and Mr. Götze have completed their pending mating as well. We will just have to wait and see.”

With that he leaves the four men alone for the time-being and as soon as the door closes, Robert sinks back into the mattress. “Thomas, I'm so sorry.”

Thomas has a deep frown on his face, his eyes watching Robert intently but at least he hasn't let go of the Omega's hand. “Don't apologize. It's not your fault that this bond happened and I can't blame you for falling in love with Marco years ago.”

“You heard the doctor,” Robert argues. “I still haven't moved on from Marco, that's why I'm in this mess now.”

It's a mystery to him how Thomas can still be so calm and patient with him; how he can accept his mate's love for another Alpha this easily. Thomas may not look happy, but for an Alpha he's displaying an admirable amount of self-control.

“Yes, but he also said that the bond could fade away once Marco and Mario are properly mated. That's what I'm counting on for now.” Thomas leans closer and Robert is forced to meet his gaze, unable to look away from his mate's eyes. They are shining with love for Robert, but there's also the tiniest flicker of worry in them. His voice is confident though. “The mating bond is a proof of our love and the strongest force imaginable. You chose me the moment you bit me, so I don't have to fear whatever it is between you and Marco. I know that now.”

Finally he bridges the last inch of distance between, kissing Robert softly and reassuringly, giving his Omega the comfort he needs. But at the same time it sends another wave of guilt through Robert's body. Thomas deserves a mate who loves him wholeheartedly, not someone like him. Not only will he never be able to fulfill the Alpha's wish to have children; no, he also has feelings for someone else. Thomas deserves so much better.

His thoughts are interrupted by Mario getting up from his chair and walking over to Marco's side.

“Marco,we could complete our bond now. I know you wanted to wait until my next heat, but this here changes things.”

Marco bites his lip, torn between his desire to complete the bond with Mario now in order to ease Robert's state of mind and the desire to make this very special moment as perfect as possible for Mario.

Robert shakes his head instantly. “No. You are not going to complete your bond in a hospital just because you feel like you have to. This moment should be the one of the bests in your life and it will happen when you're making sweet and passionate love.” Robert's voice is final; he won't allow any argument here.

After a moment of hesitation Marco gives in. “I will be waiting for the perfect moment, probably during Mario's next heat. But if you have another breakdown or anything like it, you will let me know.”

Robert merely nods and watches silently as Mario heads towards the door while Marco steps closer as though he wants to kiss Robert's forehead. Then he seems to remember about the 'being unable to let each other go' part which the doctor just explained and he freezes. “We will be back tomorrow.”

And he follows his mate out of the room, leaving Robert alone with Thomas. The Alpha is smiling down at him fondly and Robert reaches up with his hand to touch him, needing to confirm that his mate is truly here with him despite all the trouble Robert has put them through.

“Why can't things be easy between us? We deserve it after the drama we have been through.”

Thomas chuckles softly. “I think so too. But I'm too relieved that you have woken up to care about this.” There it is again, the worry in his eyes and he climbs onto the bed beside Robert putting his head on his mate's chest in an oddly vulnerable manner. “You had me so scared. You were out of it for three days and nobody knew what was wrong with you. I was so afraid of losing you.”

His confession brings tears to Robert's eyes and he puts his arms around the younger man, holding him close. “I'm here, Thomas. And it takes a lot more than you biting me to make me leave.”

Thomas snorts with laughter. “I'm glad to hear that. Because I intend to do that again and again.”

Robert feels his own lips quirk upward, not only in amusement but also relief that his mate still wants him; that he is not angry with him. “You will do that as soon as I'm released from the hospital,” Robert states with a playful grin. “I was asleep for three whole days, so obviously we have a lot catching up to do.”

He can feel rather than hear Thomas laughing into his chest. “You need to stop being so bossy, Robert, it's such a fucking turn-on. I will never get tired of you forcing your will on grown Alphas like you did with Mats a few days ago and Marco just now.” He lifts his head to look at Robert curiously. “How is it that an Omega can even stand his ground against an Alpha. I know that Marco gave in because he didn't want to ruin this moment for Mario either, but Mats? He was almost as out of control as I was, but you weren't even scared.”

Robert tries to keep calm and breathe properly, to hide how much Thomas' words get to him while still telling his mate the truth that he deserves. “Oh, I was scared. But I guess one of the main reasons for Omegas being so submissive around Alphas is instinctive respect.” He swallows hard. “And I have lost my respect for Alphas a long time ago.”

Thomas frowns, clearly wanting to ask for details, but apparently he sees something in Robert's eyes that keeps him from doing so because he merely lowers his head to the Omega's throat and licks over the bite wound.

Robert's body jerks at the drag of his tongue, the wave of desire followed by one of pain. Of course Thomas doesn't miss it.  
“It will get better once Marco and Mario are mated. Trust me.”

“I know” Robert agrees, but his voice sound doubtful even to himself.

Once again Thomas pulls away to look at him. “Listen to me, Robert. Some things take time and you've been with Marco for so long, that that no one in their right mind can expect you to move on just like that. You told me how much you loved him; that you even wanted him to become your mate and that's something no person does lightly.” A barely visible shimmer of red taints his eyes and his voice drops considerably. “You waited three years for Marco to make you his only. Surely I can wait a few weeks to make you mine only.”

The words are like a promise to Robert and he pulls at the Alpha's neck to kiss him, rewarding him for his unlimited conviction and hoping his kiss will convey his emotions and tell Thomas that he was right in marking this Omega as his.

Robert may be far from the perfect Omega, but there is one thing he can give his mate; something he rarely gifts anyone least of all an Alpha: His unwavering trust.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @Julia: That wasn't too long of a wait, was it? :D
> 
> I know, I'm once again too fast with the update, but my muse was unstoppable.  
> mariothellama, you told me to never apologize for updating fast, so I won't do that. I will just admit that this story keeps messing up my already chaotic writing schedule. ;)
> 
> If you like this chapter/story, please let me know in the comments, I'm always glad if I get feedback. :)

\--------------------------

 

One day after waking up Robert finally gets released from Munich’s hospital. Thomas calls Marco and Mario as soon as he gets the news, so that they can come over and say goodbye before returning to Dortmund.

Thomas has taken on the task of packing Robert’s small bag – mostly just clothes – despite the Omega’s protest that he can do it himself.

“Robert, let me do that please,” Thomas insists in a pleading voice. “It drives me out of my mind not to be able to help you in some kind of way.”

It may sound needy, but it’s the truth. Thomas wants to help his mate so badly, but there’s not much he can do.

Robert rolls his eyes, but lets him be then because Marco, Mario and Mats – at whose place the two former men have been staying – walk into the room.

Mario approaches the bed first, pulling Robert into a short hug immediately. “I’m so glad that you finally get to go home. At least you have your teammates to distract you during training.”

Robert opens his mouth to agree but Marco cuts in. “You’re joining team training already? Shouldn’t you take things easy?”

Thomas fails to hide his grin as he sees Robert’s lips turning into a thin line. “Marco, you know how much I hate to be treated like an Omega in need of protection. I can look after myself.”

The blond frowns. “That wasn’t my intention. I was just worried about you and it has nothing to do with you being an Omega.” He turns to Thomas then. “You are his mate, can’t you make him see reason?”

Thomas shrugs. “Believe me, I tried. I could as well be talking to a wall, he doesn’t listen to me. And he has become so cranky by now that I’m actually glad he wants to return to training so soon. At least he will get rid of his pent-up frustration.”

Marco doesn’t look very happy with the explanation and Thomas gives him a sympathetic look. He reacted similarly when Robert first announced that he would resume training right after coming home.

Mats chuckles softly. “You know, Thomas, there would be other ways for Robert to get rid of his frustration. Much more pleasant ones.”

Thomas smirks at the implication, not missing that Robert blushes while Marco frowns before watching Thomas more closely.

Thomas raises an eyebrow questioningly until Marco speaks his mind. “Robert has been in a hospital for four days. You are not going to take him as soon as you’re home, are you?”

Everyone in the room freezes before turning to Thomas as though they are expecting him to lose his cool. Which isn’t far off; he can’t help a warning snarl from escaping him through clipped teeth. He mentally reminds himself that Marco is simply worried about Robert and not meant to question Thomas’ ability to care for his mate.

“Marco, what Robert and I do is none of your business. But if it consoles you, I have no intention of doing anything to Robert that he doesn’t want.”

Marco holds his gaze for a few long seconds before finally giving in, begrudgingly acknowledging that he has crossed a line. “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

Thomas merely nods while Robert reaches out to grasp Marco’s arm and turning the Alpha’s attention towards him. “Marco, I know you just mean well. But Thomas is a good Alpha and I know he will always put my needs above his own. He will always be there to look after me.”

“I know,” Marco replies though it doesn’t sound completely honest. “It’s just hard for me to let go of the promise I made to you. That I would watch out for you.”

“No one is asking you to abandon your promise,” Robert says with a quick side glance at Thomas who tries to look as reassuring as he can manage despite his slight annoyance at Marco. Robert’s eyes soften when he continues, “Thomas is my mate, he’s different.”

Marco’s eyes drop to the still healing bite wound on the Omega’s throat and slowly he reaches out towards it, giving both Robert and Thomas time to stop him should they mind. Neither of them would think of it, all of them understanding the Alpha’s need to confirm that his Omega is in safe hands. Thomas may still have trouble wrapping his head around the fact that his mate doesn’t belong only to him – maybe never will – but he’s trying his best to be decent and not overreact over vanities. And to be honest he has never thought this would be a problem, Marco is merely touching Robert’s skin after all.

But as soon as the blond’s fingers touch the wound, Thomas’ own bite flares up painfully, like an amplified echo of Robert’s pain. Thomas isn’t sure what is responsible; if it is his own pain or hearing his mate’s low groan that indicates it’s not only pain that he is feeling. But suddenly Thomas has the strong urge to press Marco onto the ground and hold him down with his teeth, making him submit to Thomas for daring to touch the beautiful Omega.

Marco’s eyes snap up to meet his and he frowns in confusion before finally getting that Thomas’ hostility hails from him touching Robert’s mating bite. Marco pulls back instantly as though he has been burnt, drawing a whimper from Robert that only fuels Thomas’ jealousy.

Before Thomas has even noticed that he took a step forward, Mats has placed himself between the two Alphas, hands raised placatory. “Calm down, both of you! We have enough problems even without the two of you being at each other’s throat.”

Marco is the first to back down, looking rather startled by the turn of events.

Mario pushes at his mate’s chest until he is stepping away from Robert, a worried expression on the younger man’s face. “This is getting ridiculous.” He looks up at Robert. “May I touch the bite as well?” When the Pole nods, Mario turns to Thomas, clearly waiting for permission.

“Go ahead,” Thomas encourages him and steels himself for another wave of pain through the link he and Robert share now. But to his surprise there is no such thing, merely an irritating itch that most likely originates from the wound not having healed yet. Robert doesn’t react either, Mario’s touch clearly not affecting him as much as Marco’s just did.

Mario frowns. “So you’re either sensitive to just Marco’s and Thomas’ touch or an Alpha’s touch in general.”

He gives Mats an inviting look and after a nervous glance at first Thomas then Robert, the Alpha raises his hand to the mark on the Omega’s throat who flinches visibly despite the gentle touch. Thomas winces at the sting that transfers from his mate to him, but it’s not even close to the sensation of Marco’s touch.

Robert lets out an unhappy sigh. “So we have confirmation now that the doctor was right. I’m in some way connected to Marco.”

He looks so frustrated with himself that it lessens some of Thomas’ jealousy and he leans forward to put a soft kiss to Robert’s temple, taking a deep breath to inhale the Omega’s scent that has changed slightly since Thomas completed the mating bond. He still smells like Robert, but the sweet Omega scent has mingled with Thomas’ darker and heavier one, creating a toxic mix for the poor Alpha.

Thomas really hopes that Robert smells this irresistible to him only, not to other Alphas as well. He takes another breath as his mouth ghosts over Robert’s jawbone and he feels unmistakable desire slowly growing inside of his body.

“We should go home now,” he murmurs. “We’ve just mated and I want to celebrate it properly.”

He’s sure he isn’t just imagining the dark glint that his words evoke in Robert’s eyes; a look that makes the Alpha shiver in anticipation.

Unfortunately for them - fortunately for the three other men present – Mario interrupts the intense moment between them.  
“I think it would be a good idea if Marco and I kept our distances from the two of you until we’re fully mated ourselves.”

Thomas wholeheartedly agrees with him but doesn’t respond in favor of watching Marco’s and Robert’s reaction closely. The blond Alpha bites his lip, clearly swallowing his protests because once again Mario proves to be the voice of reason. What confuses Thomas even more though is Robert’s reaction whose eyes dart to Marco panicked.

“That would perhaps be a good idea,” Thomas says to Mario while still watching his mate, feeling a tug in his chest when he sees the look of fear that his mate gives him.  
“Only until Mario has his mating bite,” Thomas stresses. “Just to avoid further complications.”

Robert nods, visibly relieved at the clarification.

Marco squeezes Robert’s hands before turning to Thomas. “I will let you know once Mario and I are mated.” Then he lets go of Robert’s hand and looks at Thomas for a moment, hesitating before raising his hand towards the younger man’s throat. As soon as his fingers touch the mark Thomas jerks at the once again unexpected pain. But what startles him even more is the desire that accompanies it and his eyes flicker to Robert briefly. His mate is breathing rapidly and wincing quietly, confirming Thomas’ suspicion that the link that makes them share their emotions with each other goes both ways. For a moment Thomas stares at Marco disbelievingly wondering why the hell he is reacting this way to the other Alpha – the one he has seen as his rival until barely a week ago – until it finally dawns him.

He’s experiencing Robert’s emotions through the link; the link they forged after completing the mating process. So not only are Robert and Marco connected through their own special bond as well as Robert and Thomas through their mating bond, no, Thomas and Marco are now connected as well through Robert. This whole thing is just getting weirder and weirder.

Thomas bats Marco’s hand away angrily. “Don’t touch me!”

Marco blinks several times, apparently snapped out of his daze. “I’m sorry,” he admits confused. “I don’t know why I did that.”

Thomas has a suspicion, but doesn’t say anything. Since Robert is the joint between the two Alphas and Thomas is able to experience the Omega’s feelings for Marco, it’s likely that it also goes the other way. That Marco is able to pick up on Robert’s feelings for Thomas as well.

His theory is the only explanation that’s making sense yet there is still one major flaw in it. Because Thomas has only been sharing Robert’s emotions since they completed their mating bond. So the bond between Marco and Robert must either be just as strong – which would be doubtful considering there’s no greater force than a mating bond – or the doctor’s words were to be taken very literal: That Robert and Marco have seen each other as mates for too long now. So who says their bond isn’t already a mating bond, just without the physical proof? That would explain why Marco shares Robert’s feelings as well. Because they are already mates and Robert belongs to Marco; has belonged to him even before Thomas entered the picture. That would also explain why Marco has always been so possessive of Robert, sometimes without even meaning to be. Because as Robert’s mate he has the right to.

And that thought scares Thomas more than anything else.

Thomas growls darkly and pushes so hard against the blond’s chest that he stumbles backwards. “Get out of here!” Thomas shouts and moves to lunge at the other Alpha, but suddenly there are strong arms around his waist to hold him back and someone whispering poignantly into his ear. “Calm down, Thomas, Marco didn’t mean to hurt you.”

But Thomas can barely listen to the voice – Mats, his brain supplies a second later – when he sees Mario and Robert, _his_ Robert, gripping Marco’s arm to keep him from fighting back.

Mario tugs at his mate’s arm urgently. “Marco, we need to leave now. This situation is getting out of hand.”

It’s hard to say whether Marco heard him or not. He isn’t trying to go for Thomas and instinctively leaning closer to his mate, drawn to Mario’s deep voice like a moth to the light, but he is gritting his teeth and his body is still tense, ready for attack.

The sight of his mate touching another Alpha and Marco’s constant need for it even though Thomas has marked him as his mate, makes the younger Alpha see red. He tries to fight Mats off, but the defender seems to have anticipated the same and tightens his grip, a warning snarl coming from his throat that is laced with so much power that the two Omegas tense instinctively, both men trembling with the effort it takes them to withstand the urge of dropping their heads in submission. Even Thomas feels a tingling in his neck and he can see Marco averting his gaze.

“You should indeed go now,” Mats suggests to Marco and Mario in a cold tone and this time Thomas can’t stop himself from hurling around to the Alpha holding him.

“I don’t need your help, Mats! I can fight my own battles!” Thomas clarifies, feeling beyond irritated. He isn’t sure where this need to lash out at someone has come from.

Robert turns towards him, vibrant blue eyes settling on Thomas with a dominance that no Omega should be capable of possessing, especially not when that Omega is facing a pissed off Alpha.

“Thomas, that’s enough!” Robert lets go of Marco’s arm and steps towards him carefully, his hands cupping Thomas’ face and giving him no chance to avoid his stern look even as the expression in them softens. “There’s no need to fight, Thomas. Marco didn’t want to hurt you.”

At the mention of the other Alpha Thomas hisses disapprovingly; angry that his mate is defending his former lover.

Robert frowns, clearly not comprehending why exactly Thomas is so upset all of a sudden. In the end he does the one thing that actually manages to distract his mate: he pulls Thomas into an embrace and tilts his head to the side, exposing the vulnerable curve of his neck to the Alpha. Up to this moment Thomas didn’t even know that this was the exact thing he needed right now. His mate, his untamed Omega freely submitting to him.

Thomas leans down until his nose is touching Robert’s throat, until he is bathing in the intoxicating scent of his beautiful mate. He raises his hand, fisting it in Robert’s short dark hair to hold him in place while he is taking a few calming breaths until his mate is the only thing he can sense. Thomas barely notices that Mats is finally loosening his hold on his waist and stepping away from him.

Thomas pulls Robert closer, dragging his tongue over the still barely healed wound he inflicted on the Omega only four days ago and it takes him a lot of effort to suppress the urge to bite down and renew his claim on the older man, to mark him as his right in front of Marco’s eyes.

The blond still seems to guess his intention though judging by the furious snarl coming from the Alpha. But this time it is Mario who grabs his arm and pulls harshly to make the older man look at him. “Marco, stop it! You’re crossing the line here!”

Marco turns towards him, his anger slowly being replaced by the hurt of rejection. “I told you, Mario. I told you what Robert means to me and that I will never be able to abandon him.”

“And you know that I never had a problem with that,” Mario retorts in a gentle tone, but still firm enough to indicate he won’t take any objection on this matter. “But you fail to see that you’re not the only one who cares about Robert. Your Omega has another mate now and you need to learn to back down instead of insulting the man _your_ Omega has chosen as his mate. As the only one worthy of becoming his true mate.”

Mario’s words definitely hit home. Marco looks like he has been slapped in the face, all signs of fight leaving his body as he take sin the way Robert and Thomas hold each other, the Omega he has regarded as his for so long now being in the arms of another Alpha.

He winces and Thomas feels a tiny flicker of sympathy as he watches Marco tear his gaze away from them. “I’m sorry. To all of you actually. I seem to have more trouble letting Robert go than I initially anticipated. And that’s not fair to either of you.” He looks up to meet Mario’s gaze. “You’re right, we should leave now. Maybe a few days or weeks of distance will help me get a grip on my emotions.”

Thomas can feel Robert turn his head towards the blond though he doesn’t move away, he merely watches as Marco and Mario make their exit. After a few steps Marco stills and turns to Robert. “It will only be until Mario and I have completed the mating process.” He then shifts his gaze to Thomas, making the statement sound like a question.

And now after Marco has admitted defeat, Thomas could never think of turning him away. “We look forward to it,” he affirms with an apologetic smile and he sees relief crossing Marco’s face before he finally follows Mario to the exit of the hospital.

Mats relaxes then and takes Robert's bag from the ground. “Let's leave this place, please. Hospitals make me sick.” Without waiting for an answer he walks into the same direction the couple just took, giving Thomas and Robert a bit of privacy should they have the need to talk.

Eventually Thomas dares to meet Robert's eyes. There's no anger in them, only confusion. “Thomas, what was that just now? First everything is fine and the next moment you and Marco are short of starting a fight in the middle of a hospital.”

“I know and I'm sorry,” Thomas admits sheepishly. “I didn't mean to lose my cool like that.” He contemplates telling Robert his suspicion about the link between them and Marco, but in the end he doesn't have the courage to do so. Because he is afraid of the consequences should he tell Robert that he never truly belonged to Thomas in the first place. He'd much rather have them all tap in the dark than lose his Omega to Marco. Not again.

He still remembers that horrible moment from last week when he found Robert and Marco in the latter's house, the Alpha with a brand new mating bite and for one endless, shell-shocking moment Thomas was convinced that he had lost Robert forever. It's hard to believe that this happened only one week ago, to him it feels more like months. Now he and Robert are mated and Thomas won't let anything come between them.

The persistent burning in his gut intensifies and Thomas recognizes it as a strong wave of possessiveness that makes him want to sink his teeth into the mark on Robert's throat again, just like earlier during his dispute with Marco.

“Let's finally get home,” Thomas proposes and when he sees Robert swallow, he adds in a softer tone, “Don't worry, we're not going to have sex when I'm in such a strange mood. At least not this time.” He gives his mate a crooked grin. “The first time an Alpha takes his Omega after they completed the mating bond should be something special. And I plan on making it a very special night for you, darling.” He revels in the warmth that arises in him at seeing a blush spread on the Omega's face and he pulls at Robert's hand. They are still holding hands when they pass a very amused Mats in the parking lot and also when they are sitting in the back of the car, both of them trying hard to keep their hands to themselves while Mats is failing to hide his wide smile behind the steering wheel.

Yet there's an unusual calmness between them, one that lets everyone know that this day is not going to end with both of them ripping each other's clothes off and fucking each other senseless. No, the atmosphere is almost peaceful, both of them glad that they have finally got together after all the things that happened.

Mats drops them off at Thomas' house and the Alpha realizes that this is the first time that Robert will cross the threshold as Thomas' mate. Not as his boyfriend, not as only his Omega, not as something that could be limited. No, as Thomas' _mate_. As someone who will stay...

“I love you, Robert,” Thomas says as he winds his arms around the older man from behind and pulls him back towards his chest. “And you belong to me forever.”

He is a tiny bit afraid that Robert will contradict him and ruin the sweet little moment between them, but that doesn't happen. Instead Robert cranes his head back, his face only inches away from Thomas' and a smile playing on his lips. “Forever is a long time. Are you sure you want to spend it with me?”

“I have never been more sure of anything,” Thomas affirms before the image of a particular Alpha flashes up in his mind and he feels the need to ask, “What about you though? You've loved Marco for such a long time and clearly you still do.”

Robert takes his time with the answer, clearly choosing his words carefully. “You're right, I will always love Marco. He is the only Alpha I ever let into my heart. But ironically my feelings for him are what make me so secure about you.”

Thomas frowns. “How is that supposed to make any sense?”

When Robert's meets his gaze again, there is once again an unsettling intensity in his bright blue eyes; one that makes Thomas' whole body tingle.  
“Because you made me break my promise to him.” There's no accusation in the Omega's tone, but Thomas still freezes, trying hard to remember what exactly he did. Robert quickly puts him out of his misery though. “I promised Marco that he would be the only Alpha I would ever want. And then you came along.” Thomas is unable to answer, his heart reveling in the almost sinful confession his mate just made. “And considering how much I love Marco that speaks volumes of my love for you.”

Thomas shakes his head amusedly. “Only you can make a love confession to two Alphas in the same sentence and get away with it.”

Robert relaxes into the embrace, his head dropping back, so he can take a look at Thomas. “Are you mad at me? For still having feelings for Marco even though I love you more?”

Until that confession a moment ago Thomas would have said yes. Now though...

“No, mad is not the word I would use. I'm just a bit jealous, I guess.” He winces at the bitter taste of the word on his tongue. “I don't fully understand what still keeps you and Marco together; how you could forge a bond that couldn't even be broken by our mating bond. And to be honest I don't like it. But I'm trying to do better and to be more accepting. I just need a bit of time.”

Robert putting a kiss to his lips takes him by total surprise. “Don't be so hard with yourself, Thomas. You're taking this so much better than I would have ever thought possible. And I get why this bond between Marco and me scares you so much. Because our mating bond is still so new while my bond with Marco has started three years ago. But trust me, that doesn't mean that our bond isn't just as powerful or even more so.” He strokes Thomas' face tenderly. “I can feel you deep within my heart. Marco may still be my Alpha, but you are my mate. And no one else could take your place.”

Then he bridges the last distance between them and seals Thomas' mouth with his own, erasing the doubt that has been nagging at the Alpha for too long. He lets Robert take care of his wounded heart...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For once my muse doesn't seem to be inclined to constantly end the chapters of this story with cliffhangers. Let's see how long that takes. But I have to admit I like those new endings, they make you brood and ponder over the story for a few hours longer (at least in my case)...


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to explain the things happening here from Robert's point of view, but someone whose suggestions I highly value convinced me to write it from Mario's point - however unintentional that was.  
> I don't know if this will be an exception or if I will write more chapters from Mario's POV, Marco's will come for sure very soon.

\--------------------

 

The moment they get into the car after having exited the hospital Marco knows something is up. Mario isn't saying anything, very aware of the fact that he's giving off negative vibes, the patience he has shown in the last few days vanished into thin air.

He feels Marco's eyes flickering to him briefly during the entire drive to Dortmund, even though Mario hasn't said anything and even when he briefly texts first Erik, then Mats. It is afternoon by the time they arrive at Marco's apartment and as soon as the car has stopped moving, Mario gets out of it as fast as possible, slamming the door behind him with more force than necessary. He passes the blond Alpha without so much as looking at him, but he can still feel the confusion radiating from the older man as he follows Mario into the house.

It is then that Mario's resolution which he has made during the drive here becomes final and he sits down on the couch, giving Marco an inviting look until the Alpha joins him warily.

Mario doesn't say anything, unsure how to start this delicate conversation.

His silence clearly unsettles Marco even more and so it is the Alpha who speaks first. “Mario, I'm sorry for-”

“Don't!” Mario cuts in with a cold voice that he knows doesn't suit him at all. “Please don't apologize for things you don't regret.”

Marco bites his lip, Mario's sharp tone obviously upsetting him. Mario feels a tiny bit of sympathy for him, but ignores it.

He isn't sure how Marco will take what he has to say, what it will mean for their relationship and if it even is the right thing to do. All that Mario knows is that they can't go on like this.

Marco interrupts his thoughts. “You are mad at me.” It isn't a question, but he sounds confused.

Mario watches him carefully and resists the urge to comfort his mate, to tell him everything will be alright. He has said this to the Alpha – and himself – for far too long.

“Marco, what am I to you?”

The blond frowns, unable to make sense of the odd question. “You are my Omega and my future mate. You know that.”

“To be honest, no, I don't,” Mario objects and he has trouble to let his voice sound impassive. “Because if I am the one you have chosen as your one and only mate, then how is it possible that all you could see in the hospital was Robert?”

Marco freezes and fear enters his eyes as it dawns on him why Mario is so upset. “You are jealous of Robert?”

“Of course I am,” Mario agrees and he feels so unbelievably weak for admitting this out loud. “Robert has your undivided attention and he is all you can think about ever since he asked you to help him through his heat again. When you returned and told me you finally wanted us to become mates, I was so glad because I thought that this thing between you and Robert would be over, but now I see that I was wrong.”

Marco shakes his head before shuffling closer, his hands gripping Mario's shoulders tightly. “Please don't say things like that. You are the Omega I want to spend my life with and even Robert could never change that. You have to believe me.”

Mario swallows hard at the pleading look in those amber-green eyes and his resolution unravels. “I want to believe you, Marco, I really do. But how can I be so sure of your love for me when you never marked me as yours in the almost three years that we have been together? How can I be sure that your love for me is meant to last when we still aren't mates?”

He doesn't know what response he expected, but certainly not the sudden determination on Marco's face as he pushes against the Omega's chest until the smaller man is on his back, Marco straddling him.

The Alpha's eyes are shining red and Mario missed this, missed being the cause of the Alpha's possessiveness.

“Let me proof my love to you!” Marco growls and a shiver of excitement runs down Mario's spine. “Let me claim you like you claimed me for the whole world to see.”

Mario is unable to respond when Marco's mouth clashes with his own a second later and he feels the Alpha's arousal pressing against his stomach. Marco's kiss is almost bruising and violent, Mario's doubts having hurt him to the core. The Omega parts his lips, inviting the Alpha in, wordlessly trying to soothe the pain he has caused with his words. He knows he shouldn't give in like this again because Marco still doesn't understand just how much he has hurt Mario. But Mario loves him too much to deny him this, to ignore his immediate instinct to comfort his Alpha.

Marco pulls back from the kiss just enough to speak in a hoarse voice. “I will make you mine, Mario. Mine alone.” He drops his head to Mario's neck and licks over the pulse point, feeding the fire in Mario's groin and he can't help a moan from escaping his lips. He feels Marco opening his mouth wide, his teeth grazing the vulnerable skin, ready to bite down and complete their bond.

And this is what Mario wants so badly. For him and Marco to finally complete their mating bond and to bear the Alpha's mark that shows he belongs to Marco alone. But the Alpha already has Mario's mark, so shouldn't he already belong to the Omega alone? Then how can Robert still be a threat to Mario?

“No!” he protests and pushes Marco's face away from his neck, sitting up so sudden that he almost throws the Alpha off the couch.

Marco looks at him irritated. “What's wrong?”

“This is wrong, everything is wrong,” Mario replies firmly. “We shouldn't be like this. Me questioning your love for me even after all this time that we are together now, after me already having marked you as my Alpha.”

Marco whines unhappily. “Please don't doubt my feelings for you, Mario. You know why I can't let Robert go just like that.”

“I _did_ know,” Mario corrects him and his voice is trembling now. “I understood why you were the only Alpha capable of helping Robert through his heat. You said he has had a horrible experience with Alphas and you're the only one he trusts, so of course I let you help him. The others asked me how I could let you go to another Omega, one in heat. But the fact that Robert is an Omega only reinforced my decision because as an Omega myself I understand him better than most. I know what it's like to go through a heat and how horrible it is having to go through one alone. I supported you because I thought you were doing this for Robert. Because he needed you. But now Robert has Thomas – his _mate –_ and he is still all you can think about. Now I know that you're not doing this for him, not only. You may have convinced yourself that you still have the right to protect Robert, but actually you're only doing this for yourself. Because you love him and you can't stand the thought of losing him.”

Marco stares at him with wide eyes after his long confession, clearly shocked by all the things Mario has accused him of.

The Omega swallows before adding, “I tried to be understanding and supportive of this because I love and trust you, Marco. But today you've gone too far. I was standing right beside you and you never spared me a second glance. But do you know what's even worse? That you not only insulted me as your mate but also that you insulted Thomas as Robert's mate. With your behavior you showed him that you don't trust him to be able to take care of Robert. You of all people should know that there is no greater threat for an Alpha's pride than that.”

Mario takes a deep breath before turning away and searching for some clothes. Marco doesn't move for a very long time, trying to come to terms with Mario's words. Eventually he approaches Mario carefully. “Mario, what are you doing?”

“I'm leaving,” Mario replies matter-of-factly. He doesn't look at the blond, but the sharp intake of breath tells him enough.

“Where to?” Marco asks and his voice is so hollow that Mario trembles with the effort it takes him not to turn around and take the frightened Alpha into his arms.

“First I wanted to ask Erik if I could stay at his place for a while,” Mario tells him truthfully. “Because he knows about you and Robert, so he would understand why I had to leave you. And because he is a Beta obviously.” He fills his bag with the pile of clothes he just pulled out of his drawers. “But then I reminded myself that you need to learn your lesson. You won't fully understand how much you've hurt me until you feel the same doubts than I. So I asked Mats instead.”

He can see Marco paling and his eyes widening in disbelief. “But Mats is an Alpha. And an unmated one.”

“Yes, that's the point.”

“But what if he has a rut? Or if you're going into heat?” Marco asks and he's shaking his head in denial, fear audible in his voice.

Mario slings the packed bag over his shoulder. “Then you should hope that I'm not in the same room as Mats.”

Marco growls loudly; the deep, vibrating sound making the hair on Mario's arms stand up. “If he touches you, I will rip him apart.”

“No, you won't,” Mario retorts firmly. "He is an Alpha without a mate and according to my still unmarred throat I am an Omega without a mate. So we can do whatever we want.”

Marco whines and he grabs the younger man's arm tightly. “Mario, please don't do this! I'm so sorry, please don't leave me!”

Mario feels his eyes stinging with tears as he comprehends what he is about to do. He is going to leave his Alpha, his Marco. Something he never thought he would do.

“I don't want to do this, Marco, but you leave me no choice. I can't be your mate as long as I'm not sure if you would really put my needs above Robert's. Becoming mates means to devote yourself to someone and I don't know if you can do that at the moment.” He opens the front door and turns back to Marco, the sight of the blond's devastated face breaking his heart. “I know it will hurt, but I need to look after myself for once. And you're not making me feel like I am your mate. I deserve better.”

He crosses the threshold when Marco grabbing his wrist stops him. He turns back one last time and perhaps he should have expected the tears streaming down Marco's face. “Mario, please I'm begging you, don't leave me! Tell me what you need and I promise I will do whatever it is.”

Mario wants to give in so badly, but if he wants things to change Marco needs to know the pain. “I need you to stay away from me.”

It isn't a command, but he can still see Marco's inner Alpha breaking at the request, red drowning out the amber-green iris the last thing that Mario sees before the door closes behind him. He knows Marco won't follow him, won't be capable of doing it because Mario did the worst thing an Omega can do to his Alpha.

He rejected him...

Mario walks away feeling numb and hollow inside. But he isn't fast enough to miss the thump of Marco's knees hitting the ground at the other side of the door and the muffled sound of crying through the door.

He forces himself to keep going, walking away from the man he has called his home for years. The man he wanted to become his mate.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was more heartbreaking than I had imagined. :(  
> Nex chapter will be from Robert's POV.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm very early again and this is a very, very long chapter, but my muse is still unstoppable. ;)  
> Unfortunately this will be my last update before Christmas because I have a ton of social responsibilities, so please see it as an early Christmas present to you, my beloved readers.  
> If you would like to gift me something in return: a comment (even if it's an 'I liked it') would be wonderful. :*
> 
> You will get a hint here who will become Mats' mate. And despite what I said in a comment on 'Breathe Into Me' it will NOT be Erik. That would have been far too easy, taking my two favorite unmated side characters and let them end up together. But don't worry, Erik will also find his mate one day.
> 
> Now enough rambling, enjoy your present. :)

_\--------_

 

_Robert is woken up early by the warm rays of sunlight tickling his skin. He winces at the bright light that hurts his eyes and turns around, barely noticing that he feels a bit strange, his whole body aching in the best way imaginable. He frowns when his face brushes something solid and it takes him too long to realize that the pleasant warmth isn’t coming from his body only._

_He freezes and his eyes snap open instantly. He is lying in his bed with a naked Alpha and fear courses through Robert’s now awake body until he looks at the Alpha’s very familiar face._

_Marco._

_And then Robert belatedly remembers that he asked Marco to help him through his heat; his first in three years, his first since that incident with his former teammates…_

_Robert looks down at the naked man lying beside him and tenderly wipes a blond strand of hair from his beautiful face before leaning down and placing a soft kiss on his forehead. It doesn't wake Marco, but a soft content sigh escapes his lips and he nuzzles closer to Robert. The Omega chuckles softly while trying to disentangle himself from the other man carefully. He gets up from the bed then and walks into his bathroom to take a long shower that he hopes will help him see things more clearly. Because at the moment he has no idea what the events from the previous day mean for him and Marco._

_It is not uncommon for unmated Alphas to help Omega friends through their heat, so Robert should probably not interpret too much into it. But at the same time, he can’t help but hope that it means more because there was an unusual tenderness in each kiss they shared, each moan they uttered, each push of Marco’s hips into him. To Robert it didn’t feel like an Alpha and an Omega losing themselves in passion. It felt much more like two men making love to each other._

_They need to talk about this before Robert becomes too obsessed with the thought of him and Marco together as lovers._

_So he begrudgingly gets out of the shower and dries himself off with a towel. When he walks back into his bedroom, the Alpha has turned to the side, his drowsy eyes watching Robert closely.  
“Hey.”_

_Robert has to smirk at that one word that may be trivial but is still telling him that the Alpha has no clue what to make of this situation either.  
“Marco, we need to talk about this.”_

“ _I know we should,” Marco agrees hesitantly. “But to be honest I don’t really know what to tell you. Yesterday I followed you back into the locker with the intention of fucking a very attractive Beta into the sheets.” Robert has to grin at the blunt words but keeps quiet. “And now I wake up after a night of helping an Omega through his heat.”_

“ _I’m sorry,” Robert says quietly._

“ _What for?” Marco retorts with a frown._

“ _For getting you into my mess. All you wanted was a bit of good uncomplicated sex and now you got so much more than you bargained for.”_

_Marco leans over towards him with a small smile playing on his lips. “You say this as though it is supposed to be a bad thing.”_

“ _Isn’t it?” Robert asks and he feels his earlier hope rising back to the surface; hope that what they shared meant as much to the Alpha as it did to him._

“ _Not for me,” Marco replies reassuringly. “Because it looks like I will be getting a whole week of amazing sex, not just one night.”_

_Robert rolls his eyes. “And here I was thinking you would make a romantic love confession to me. But I almost forgot you’re just a horny Alpha wanting some good sex.” He grins down at the man on his bed despite his disappointment._

“ _Speaking of good sex,” Marco remarks before reaching out and pulling at Robert’s hand until he falls onto the bed beside him. “You’re starting to smell delicious again.”_

_He is right. Robert is already feeling too warm again, his next heat wave approaching rapidly. “We should eat first,” he argues, knowing he won’t have many opportunities of clarity like this one._

“ _Oh, I intend to eat,” Marco replies with a wolfish grin. “I intend to eat you out.”_

_Robert chokes at the mental image while Marco pushes against his shoulders until the Omega is lying on his back._

“ _No one has ever done that to me,” Robert admits quietly._

_Marco stills and gives him an incredulous look. “You’re an Omega and no one has ever tried to eat you out?!”_

_Robert swallows before averting his gaze. “Well, as you know my past sexual encounters haven’t been exactly pleasant.”_

_His words evoke an angry growl from the Alpha above him and a blink later he finds red eyes staring down at him. “One day I will find a way to make these monsters pay for what they did to you. You may have forbidden me to go after them myself, but I will still find a way.”_

“ _I wish you would just let it go.”_

“ _Why won’t you let me take revenge for you?” Marco asks annoyed._

“ _Because I don’t want you to get hurt just because of me,” Robert replies truthfully._

_He knows instantly from the dark look in these still red eyes that his answer only upsets the Alpha even more. “You are my Omega now. The thought of letting these assholes get away with their crime tears me apart.”_

_Robert takes the Alpha’s face into his hands, once again wondering how their relationship will evolve over time. If he is stroking the cheek of the man who will one day become his mate or just a man who will leave him once his heat is over. “You’re right, I am your Omega and you are my Alpha. That means I won’t let any harm come to you either.”_

_Marco doesn’t look satisfied, but he allows Robert to reverse their positions, so that the blond is lying underneath him now. He can’t suppress a shiver of excitement running down his spine at trapping the strong and proud Alpha underneath his own body, at being the one in control._

“ _So,” he drawls teasingly. “If I remember correctly, you were talking big about eating me out. So unless you have got cold feet, I suggest you should finally put your big mouth to use.”_

_He feels Marco’s cock twitch in interest and the younger man gives him a heated look. “Are you really sure you’re an Omega? Because the way you say things like that makes me wonder if you’re not actually an Alpha.”_

_Robert gives a pointed look to the visible proof of Marco’s arousal. “I seriously doubt that. Unless you have a thing for other Alphas.”_

_Marco chuckles amusedly. “Not that I’m aware of. Now stop talking and kiss me.” He tries to lean upwards and get the kiss he just demanded himself, but Robert puts his palm to Marco’s chest and pushes him back into the sheets. “I thought we just settled that I’m the more dominant Alpha here. So you won’t get a kiss until I feel like you deserve one.”_

_Marco bites the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. “And what do I have to do to earn it?”_

“ _I told you to eat me out, Marco,” Robert answers while he gently turns them around again to give Marco the possibility to comply with his demand. “Don’t make me repeat myself again.”_

“ _Definitely not an Omega,” Marco mutters before sliding his hands down Robert’s sides and then pushing his thighs up._

_And suddenly the whole scene changes._

_They are lying in Marco’s bed now and it is dark outside, but what throws him off even more is that he is the one on top again and it is not Marco’s face he is looking at._

‘ _Mario?’ he wants to ask, wondering what the hell is going on, but he can’t speak trapped inside of his body._

 _Instead he leans down and kisses Mario’s lips, trying to time his thrusts – his_ thrusts _?! – with the Omega’s moans._

“ _You’re so beautiful like this,” Robert whispers hoarsely and he tries to prolong his approaching orgasm in favor of watching Mario’s face contort with pleasure for a few seconds longer._

_He only manages to push into Mario’s tight heat a few more times before his orgasm washes over him, blinding white momentarily drowning out his vision as his knot fills the young Omega. When Robert finally comes down from his high, he finds himself in Mario’s arms, the Omega stroking his fingers through Robert’s hair._

_Robert raises his head to look at the Omega intensely. “I love you, Mario. You make me feel like it’s alright to be weak from time to time. That it doesn’t make me less of an Alpha to need you.”_

_His words bring a warm smile to Mario’s face. “I love you too, Marco.”_

 

Robert shoots up in his bed, eyes wide awake. He is drenched in cold sweat, his body trembling from the aftermath of the memories. There’s an annoying tingling at his mark and he finds himself wondering if it’s just coincidence or if the mark disapproves of him dreaming of another Alpha.

After a moment of collecting himself Robert slowly gets up to clean himself off. When he returns from the bathroom a few minutes later, he freezes at the sight of Thomas sitting on the bed with his legs tucked up and a closed off expression on his face.

He looks up at Robert when the older man approaches him warily. “You had a dream of Marco.”

Robert swallows hard. “A memory actually. Something that’s long past.”

He can see doubt in the Alpha’s eyes and considering the state he was in when he woke up, Robert can’t really blame him. “I don’t know why I had to relieve this memory now, but I promise it doesn’t have anything to do with you.”

Thomas accepts that with a nod and waits until Robert has climbed onto the bed before speaking again. “I can feel that these memories upset you. Do you want to talk about it?”

Robert turns onto his back, his eyes staring up at the ceiling while Thomas supports himself on his elbow and watches him attentively.

“The first memory was the morning after I went into heat three years ago. When I found myself waking up next to Marco and thinking he could become my mate one day.”

“You cried out his name a few times in your sleep,” Thomas acknowledges and Robert winces at the thought of his mate waking up to his Omega crying out – and apparently orgasming to – the name of another Alpha. He tries to focus on the more confusing second half of his dream.

“The memory was replaced by another one anyway. Or a dream, I don’t know. It felt too real to be a dream though.”

“And it definitely wasn’t a memory?” Thomas asks.

Robert gives him an amused grin. “I think I would remember if I had had sex with Mario.”

Thomas takes a moment to digest this information. “Please don’t tell me I now have to be jealous of Mario as well.”

“Don’t worry,” Robert replies calmly. “Apparently I took Marco’s role, at least he called me that. And it would explain why I could knot him.”

Thomas frowns. “Perhaps it is a memory from Marco that transferred through your bond with him.”

The same thought has already occurred to Robert as well, but he was too afraid of admitting it out loud. To acknowledge that his bond with Marco is more than what he is able to imagine at the moment. He takes a close look at the man beside him on the bed.  
“Does it bother you?” he asks even though the question is kind of ridiculous; he already knows the answer to it.

Thomas sighs before lowering his head to the side of Robert’s throat, nuzzling his mating bite that goes from tingling to throbbing painfully. The Alpha looks down at the wound as though it has personally offended him before answering the question. “Does it bother me that you are bonded to another Alpha? Of course it does. But I can’t really be angry with you for something you never asked for.”

"Didn’t I?“ Robert retorts. He wants to curl into himself in shame as he realizes that this bond may truly be his fault after all. “I desperately wanted Marco to become my mate even though I knew he wouldn’t have been happy with me. Apparently I got my wish.”

There’s a low growl coming from the Alpha and suddenly he is over Robert, pressing him down firmly and his eyes shimmering red. “Stop talking like that. He never marked you, the only claim on your body is mine.” Robert shivers at these possessive words and can’t do anything but stare up at the younger man in awe. “You’re my mate, Robert, and we belong together forever. You and Marco sharing a bond won’t change that.”

Robert’s lips quirk upwards into a small smile and a single tear runs down his cheek. “What did I do to deserve you? I keep expecting you to become furious eventually, but somehow you never do.”

Thomas’ eyes soften and his usual greenish blue drowns out the red. “You’re upset enough for the both of us. And in a few weeks when Marco and Mario have completed their mating, all of this will be over anyway.”

Robert’s eyes drop to the Alpha’s throat and he raises his hand towards the mark that started it all, the claim he laid on the younger man against his will. It is looking so much better than a few weeks ago, when their bond was still incomplete, but the wound hasn’t become the scar it should be by now.

“Your mating bite still hasn’t healed even though we completed the bond,” he says while his fingers ghost over the mark, drawing a low moan from Thomas. “Do you think it’s possible that my bond with Marco is the reason for it?”

“Maybe,” Thomas agrees reluctantly. “But it has already improved a lot in the past days. Just give it some time.”

Robert nods, but he replaces his fingers with his tongue, dragging it over the bite in a silent apology. Thomas’ body starts trembling excitedly and Robert can feel the Alpha’s cock twitching in interest. Robert can feel the waves of desire through their mating bond and curiously he does it again, swirling his tongue over the spot teasingly. Suddenly Thomas’ hand winds around his throat and he presses Robert back onto the mattress. “If you keep on doing that, you won’t get any more sleep, I can assure you that.”

Robert blinks with the most mischievous expression he can manage. “Who wants to sleep at night?”

“You,” Thomas snorts amusedly. “If you really want to start training again in – wait, let me check – five hours.”

Robert gives him an exaggerated sigh in response. “What a pity. And here I was hoping you would like the idea of our teammates staring at me in the showers, at the marks your teeth left on my skin, the visible bruises on my hips from when you grabbed them as you slammed into my-“ He is cut off by Thomas’ hand over his mouth. “Shut that devilish mouth of yours!” he commands in a hoarse voice and this time there’s no denying the arousal coursing through their bond. Robert bites his lip to hide his smirk and turns to the side, waiting until Thomas stretches out behind him and his arm comes around the older man’s waist. “Sweet dreams, Thomas,” Robert tells him in a cheerful voice and he has to smile at the miffed grumbling he receives in return.

 

***

 

As it turns out there is no need for any additional marks on Robert’s body when he steps foot onto the training ground a few hours later. Most of his teammates have already managed to visit him in the hospital so they have seen his mating bite already, but this is sort of Thomas’ and Robert’s first appearance as a couple –a mated one even. So naturally training is only secondary today. As soon as they are complete – except for Mats and their coach Carlo – Robert is the main attraction. Joshua and Javi are the first to approach the new couple curiously and it takes them exactly five seconds to lose themselves in an exited comparison of the two marks. Usually Robert doesn’t like to be the center of attention off the pitch, at least not like this, but this time he is so happy that it doesn’t bother him at all. Thomas is beaming at everyone proudly, clearly unable to control his emotions as he accepts congratulations from all sides. Robert is just being pulled out of Franck’s tight embrace by his mate Arjen when the only other mated couple comes into view.

Manuel smiles at Robert joyfully. “Finally. At least Fips will now stop pestering me about the two of you.”

Philipp turns towards the goalkeeper and despite the considerable height difference he manages to scowl at the Alpha darkly. “I was simply worried that we would have to start into the season without our two top strikers. So my worries were only on a professional level.” He has to smirk at his own words though.

Robert looks at their captain gratefully. “Thank you. Without you Thomas would have never come for me.”

Philipp shrugs. “He also wouldn’t have ended up at the hospital if I hadn’t sent him to Dortmund to get you back. But I’m glad things are okay now and that two of you finally became mates.”

He turns to Thomas then while Manuel pulls Robert against his chest. “I’m really happy for both of you. You deserve each other.”

Robert has barely let go of Manuel when suddenly something solid collides with him, almost making him stumble backwards and it takes him a moment to realize it is Thiago clinging towards him. There’s a disapproving growl coming from beside Robert and he shoots Thomas a warning look. He partly understands why his mate is so possessive all of a sudden, they are only mated for a few days now and Thiago is an unmated Alpha that tends to be very touchy and breach any rules of physical distance.

But that’s just how Thiago is and Robert wouldn’t want the Spaniard to treat him any differently. His look silences Thomas instantly and fortunately Thiago seems to have missed the other Alpha’s reaction because when he pulls back, his thousand-watt smile is as blinding as always. “God, you have no idea how happy I am for the two of you!” he exclaims. “And your mated scent is absolutely amazing, Robert.”

The Omega’s eyes flicker to Thomas immediately, noting his tensed composure and his eyes burning a hole into Thiago’s head, but he is rescued from the weird situation when a new pair of arms comes around Robert and pulls him out of Thiago’s grasp.

“Okay, okay, Thiago, back down please. Others want to congratulate our favorite Pole as well.”

Robert briefly wonders what it is with Alphas and their constant need to touch everything and everyone when he finds himself being embraced by Xabi. At least it is only friendly, just like Manuel’s hug was and so it doesn’t aggravate Thomas further. “You take good care of Thomas, he needs someone to watch out for him,” Xabi says and it doesn’t sound like the joke it was perhaps meant to be.

“I can hear you, you know,” Thomas responds dryly.

Philipp who is standing beside him snorts. “That’s just common knowledge.”

Just when Robert and Xabi part though, something happens that makes the mood change completely.

Their coach appears at the side of the training ground, Mats right behind him. But it is the third person catching everyone’s eye and silencing the laughing and talking bunch of players.

Robert stands there frozen in place, wondering if he is imagining things again when Arjen asks. “Mario? What are you doing here, shouldn’t you be in Dortmund?”

The Omega averts his eyes instantly and Robert feels his heart clench at the sight of the red-rimmed eyes that indicate the younger man has been crying a lot.  
“Something happened and I will be staying here in Munich for a while.”

“Is Marco here as well?” Manuel asks and it is clear to see that the question hit home.

Mario blinks a few times to collect himself. “No, he isn’t. We broke up.”

Everyone stares at him in shock and Robert has so many questions about the matter that he has no idea what to ask first.

Mats takes a stand before the poor Omega. “Please, guys, this is hard enough for Mario as it is. Let’s just give him a bit of time to cope for now, alright?”

There are a few affirmative murmurs and nods as the crowd of players dissolves slowly to give Mario some space. Except for Xabi. The Alpha has stepped away from Robert and towards Mario, an uncharacteristic scowl on his face. “You can’t stay at Mats’ place.”

Robert frowns in confusion at the Spaniard’s hostile tone. Usually Xabi is one of the calmest and genuinely nicest persons to be around. And up to now he has got along with Mario just fine.

Mario seems just as surprised as the rest. “Why not?”

“Because he is an Alpha and you’re an Omega!” Xabi retorts. “Everyone knows how that’s going to end.”

Before anyone can process that accusation, Mats takes a step towards the older Alpha, hissing dangerously. “Are you seriously thinking I could do that to Mario? That I could be such an asshole that I would take advantage of his broken heart? Is that what you’re thinking of me?”

Xabi holds the other Alpha’s gaze for a moment, but then his anger slowly fades away and he looks at Mario apologetically. “I’m sorry for lashing out at you like that.”

Mario accepts it with a nod and watches after the Alpha as he walks away with a last careful glance at Mats.

It is Thomas who is asking the question Robert has been thinking. “Okay, what was that? Why is Xabi so on edge?”

Mats doesn’t respond, he merely watches Xabi with an intense, almost grim expression.

Robert shrugs. “I have no idea.” He turns towards Mario then. “But back to you, what happened between you and Marco? When you left the hospital yesterday morning, everything seemed to be fine.”

The Omega remains standing behind Mats, eyes cast down and shoulders slumped. “I left him because I was jealous of you.”

Robert feels as though someone just slapped him. “Of me?”

“I always knew he would never stop caring about you and I would never ask him to. But lately he has become so obsessed with your well-being that it makes me feel excluded and neglected. I’m seriously asking myself why he even chose me as his mate.”

“Please don’t think like that, Mario!” Robert says in a pleading voice. “Of course Marco still loves me. But he didn’t want me to become his bonded mate because of you.”

Mario finally meets his gaze and he almost looks accusing. “Then why are you everything he can think about? Even now that you have Thomas!”

Robert swallows hard. “Because he is used to looking out for me. For almost three years he was the only Alpha I trusted, the only one I allowed to get close to me. And now it is hard for him to accept that Thomas has become the Alpha I turn to. Suddenly my world isn’t revolving around Marco anymore. He will need to learn to come to terms with that first and then perhaps he will be able to let me go.”

Mario continues to watch him, but the anger has faded away, replaced by resignation. “And how long will that take?”

“I don’t know,” Robert replies and he steps forward to pull the other Omega into a hug, glad when Mario doesn’t push him away even though Robert is the reason for his break-up with Marco. “I’m so sorry. Believe me, I never meant for this to happen to you.”

“It’s not your fault,” Mario mumbles into his shoulder and Robert can tell from the trembling in his voice that he is at the verge of tears again. “Yesterday was just the final straw. At least it happened now when I was still able to leave him and not after we completed the mating bond.”

Robert freezes and his eyes dart to Thomas instantly. The Alpha looks just as panicked as Robert feels and when he pulls back from Mario, Thomas eyes the younger man’s throat carefully, apparently hoping to spot a mating bite somewhere. When he finds none, he addresses Mario. “So you still don’t have a mark? And Marco is all alone now?”

Mario only nods, but that is enough to make Robert crazy with worry. “Thomas, do you think his body will react the same as yours did? That he will have such a bad rut that he will need to mate with an Omega?”

Mario tenses in his arms. “Oh God, I didn’t think about that. I need to go back to him.”

He turns around immediately, but Thomas grabs his wrist. “Mario, wait! We don’t have any proof that his body will take is bad as mine did. But if that’s the case, then it’s obvious how this is going to end. And tell me honestly, will you have the strength to leave him a second time after helping him through his rut?” Mario looks torn, wanting to help the man he loves so badly but on the other hand knowing that Thomas is right. The Alpha continues almost softly, “You left Marco for a reason. Don't let that be for nothing.”

“But if he really has a rut, we need to help him somehow,” Mario retorts vehemently.

Thomas bites his lip, trying hard to think of something. “I will drive to Dortmund and check up on him.”

“What?” Mario and Robert ask in unison, both of them taken aback by the unexpected suggestion.

“We can't drag someone else into the mess we created and the two of you cannot set a foot into his house for obvious reasons, he would jump you the second you crossed the threshold. But I'm an Alpha as well, so he won't try something like that with me. I can care for him like Mats cared for me.”

Robert doesn't like the thought of his two Alphas in the same room together when one of them has no grip on his emotions. This is bound to end in a fight and this time Robert and Mario won't be there to stop them. He hold's Thomas gaze, trying to change his mate's mind. “Mats caring for you and keeping you alive wasn't enough. In the end you still needed me, an Omega, to make it through.”

“I know,” Thomas says and he doesn't sound very confident. “We just have to hope it won't be as bad as my forced rut. If he doesn't improve at all, I will call you, Mario, alright?”

The younger Omega nods and Thomas turns to Robert now. “I know how much Marco still means to you. I promise I will take good care of him.”

Robert surges forward and kisses his mate's lips tenderly before winding his arms around the Alpha to pull him close. “Don't forget to watch out for yourself. I don't want the two of you killing each other.”

Thomas chuckles against Robert's shoulder. “Don't worry, I won't let it come to this.” He places another kiss on Robert's lips and then he is gone, running back to where they came from.

Robert's eyes follow him until he is out of sight before Mario turning towards him interrupts his thoughts. “Marco will be alright, he has to be.”

“Thomas promised it to me and he would never break it lightly,” Robert replies with conviction. “I'm counting on that.” When Mario doesn't say anything, he adds, “Thomas would never risk Marco's life just because of his jealousy. If it turns out Marco truly needs an Omega, he _will_ call.”

This time Mario's smile is a little bit more sincere and Robert answers it, knowing deep in his heart that he can trust his mate with this.

With helping Robert's first Alpha.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas to all of you!  
> Next chapter will be slightly more dramatic, I promise. ;)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you start reading the new chapter, I have a confession to make.
> 
> I will put this story on hiatus for a while. I don't know how long it will take – maybe a few weeks, maybe longer. It's not that I don't want to write for this story any longer, quite the contrary. But in the past months, I haven't got a lot of feedback to any of my stories.  
> I thought for a long time that this was due to most of my readers being Müllendowski shippers and not liking the love entanglements of my recent fics. I know at least two people who stopped reading my stories because of this.  
> But then I updated Change of Heart which is a Müllendowski story through and through and it still received only comments from three people. So clearly the ship isn't the reason for the lack of feedback lately.  
> I know it can't be my writing style because my earlier works in this fandom (Dance With the Devil, Let the Right One In, Ships In the Night, Tell Me What's On Your Mind) received a lot of comments, all of which were very positive.  
> So my next thought was: Maybe people don't like the topics I write about? I know threesomes or foursomes aren't everyone's cup of tea and I respect that. But that would only apply to two of my stories, Inside My Head and Traveled Back Down That Road.  
> The first few chapters of Breathe Into Me received a lot of feedback and there were a few people who told me that they gave it a try and really liked it despite not liking A/B/O in general. So the topic can't be the reason, people are willing to give things ty don't usually like a try. I've noticed that some of these readers, who had told me they liked my story, stopped reading the second half and I was convinced they were hesitant because they were Müllendowski shippers and it looked like Robert would end up with Marco. But from the tags and the summary of Feel Your Echoes it should be clear that this is not the case yet this story has received even less feedback than the last chapters of Breathe Into Me. I'm forever grateful for the ones who did comment on it; without your support this story wouldn't have even got this far.  
> But I just can't go on like this. Spending the days after an update constantly hoping there will be comments, refreshing my inbox only to find a devastating (0) there...  
> Feel Your Echoes has 14 subscriptions – 14 readers who like the story enough to want instant notifications if a new chapter is posted. Add to that the 28 user subscriptions I have at this point (I'm assuming those who subscribed to me didn't subscribe to the story separately as well) and you get 42 people who will read every chapter. Like I said I know two people who don't read my stories when there is a love triangle involved and assuming they still see Marco as a threat, that still means 40 readers. Yet only three or four people take the time to comment on each chapter. Three of four people even though the last chapter alone got more than 150 hits.  
> Don't tell me it's because your English is so bad. If your English is good enough to understand what my stories are about, then your English is also good enough to leave an 'I liked the chapter' under it. And like I mentioned in previous updates, this would be enought to put a smile onto my face. Of course I love to get long comments, but even such a simple one would have made me very happy.  
> The lack of feedback to Change of Heart confirmed to me that the issues aren't the ships or the stories itself. Apparently people just don't want to comment on any of my stories, no matter which one. And I don't see this changing if I keep going like this.  
> I'm someone who is very introverted and has trouble expressing herself. Writing may come easier to me, but I still overthink every sentence and I can't just write a chapter within one day. When I'm writing a story, it means a lot of work and effort for me and if people aren't interested in it, I don't see any reason why I'm doing this to myself. Many times I have to force myself to get something written because I tell myself that I owe you an update and it is so devastating to not get anything back. I can't keep on writing and creating stories without your visible support, so I have decided to stop writing longer fics for a while. I will finish that Leweus oneshot I mentioned in a comment a few weeks ago and then I will only write when my muse feels like I need to. Sometimes it can be very liberating to just write, so I think that there will be other oneshots coming up. But for multi-chaptered stories I need you guys, so don't expect any updates on Feel Your Echoes or me starting the sequel to Let the Right One In until I feel like my readers are yearning for it.  
> I apologize to the readers who still comment regularly because I suppose they will suffer the most from it. But at the moment I feel like people don't care anymore if I post something or not...

 

\---------

 

When Thomas arrives at Marco’s house after a very annoying six hour drive, Erik whom he called half an hour ago, is already waiting for him at the front door.

“I’m so glad you came,” Erik tells him as soon as Thomas exited his car. “I don’t know what to do with him anymore.”

He lets Thomas in who has to wince at the smell of aroused yet miserable Alpha, an unhealthy mixture that confirms his worst suspicion. Marco is having a rut; one that was forced on him by Mario rejecting him. Erik sighs. “He doesn’t want to see anyone and I don’t know how long I will be able to defy him. I’m not an Alpha, so if he actually ordered me to leave, I would have to.”

“I know,” Thomas replies while he is following the Beta up the stairs. “That’s why I’m here now. He can’t really force me to do anything I don’t want to.” 

They are interrupted by a snarl and when Thomas turns to the side he finds Marco standing in the doorway. He is dressed in a pair of pajamas and a loose black shirt, so that is something. The blond glares at Erik, a bright red glint in his eyes. “Why did you let him in?”

Erik tenses, but he doesn’t avert his gaze despite the power radiating from Marco. For a Beta that is quite a feat. “You won’t let me or anyone else help you, so we have to force you to accept it.”

Marco turns to Thomas angrily. “Why would you of all people want to help me?”

“Because I’m not an asshole,” Thomas retorts before remembering he needs to be the calm and patient one for them both. He adds in a more conciliatory tone, “Because I don’t want you to suffer, Marco.”

Of course the other Alpha doesn’t believe him. He is not in a state of mind to deal with kindness at the moment. “Are you here to laugh me? To mock me?”

Thomas ignores his words. “I know what you’re going through right now. I know how much you’re hurting and how much you’re yearning for Mario. Let’s just get through your rut together, alright?”

Marco’s anger ebbs away slowly. “Is Mario here with you?”

“No,” Thomas replies instantly, his voice hard. “It is too dangerous for an Omega to be near you right now, least of all Mario.”

Marco moves so fast that Thomas doesn’t have time to stop him. Suddenly Marco is in his face, pushing him against the wall with his hands around Thomas’ throat. “Mario is my mate, I would never hurt him.”

“He isn’t your mate,” Thomas contradicts him and it doesn’t take much effort to pry those long fingers from his neck, indicating Marco’s body is considerably weaker than he’s letting on. “He left you and you only have yourself to blame for that.” He doesn’t mean to hurt Marco, but the blond needs to accept the truth eventually.

To his surprise Marco doesn’t attack him again, instead he takes a step back and the color of his eyes becomes darker, a sadder and less aggressive shade of red. “I know. I didn’t realize how my behavior affected him until he told me. He had every right to leave me and to be honest I’m glad you didn’t bring him here. I wouldn’t have been able to respect his choice and then we would have certainly drifted apart even further.”

He turns away then to focus on the Beta watching them silently. “Thank you, Erik. For being such a great friend.“

Erik swallows before accepting his thanks with a nod. “I’ll be downstairs and make us something to eat.”

He walks towards the stairs with one last nervous glance at the two Alphas as though he is contemplating whether it is a good idea to leave them alone right now. After he has left, a heavy silence settles between the two men, both of them looking at each other, waiting for the other to speak.

Thomas notes dark circles under the blond’s eyes, his slumped shoulders even he’s trying his best to cover it up and appear like the confident Alpha he usually is. Sympathy fills Thomas and he takes a step closer, stilling again when the dark red eyes narrow.

“Marco, I’m sorry what happened with Mario.”

Marco averts his gaze then, his hands curling into fists. “Is he really staying with Mats?”

Suddenly he sounds very small and Thomas can only nod. He knows exactly why Marco is asking him this; why he was hoping for a different answer.

_Fear._

Once again he approaches Marco, this time ignoring the signs that Marco doesn’t want to be touched right now. He cups the blond’s face, not caring about the warning hiss he receives as he forces Marco to meet his gaze.  
“It doesn’t matter who Mario is staying with. He won’t betray you.”

“It wouldn’t be a betrayal, he has broken up with me after all,” Marco retorts, failing to sound nonchalant.

“That’s not how your heart is seeing it though,” Thomas remarks softly. “And I’m convinced Mario thinks the same way. You two have come too close and you still love each other too much to move on so quickly.”

He can see that Marco is seriously considering his words, but just when he opens his mouth to respond, he tenses up and clenches his eyes, his body starting to shiver and the smell of arousal intensifying.  
“Oh, fuck!” Marco exclaims through clipped teeth and he shoves Thomas back harshly before taking a few deep breaths.

Thomas takes a few steps back instantly to give Marco a bit more space, remembering vividly the pain of his own rut. “I’ll help Erik. You join us when you have finished, alright?”

Marco growls. “I’m not taking orders from you.”

“You will have to if you want to get better,” Thomas tells him. “I know you just want to be left alone and you don’t like to be commanded around by another Alpha, least of all me. But this is much worse than an ordinary heat and I don’t want you to suffer more than absolutely necessary. So you will jerk off, take a shower and then you will come downstairs for dinner, understood?”

Marco’s lips turn into a thin line, but fortunately he is still sane enough to recognize that Thomas isn’t doing this to annoy but to help him. 

“Understood,” he replies before disappearing into the bathroom.

Thomas heaves a sigh of relief before walking down the stairs and into the kitchen where Erik is stirring his pan absentmindedly.

“What are you cooking?” Thomas asks and tries to sound cheerful.

“Chinese,” is all the Beta replies, clearly lost in thoughts.

All Thomas is able to make out in the pan are vegetables and rice with a few slices of what must be chicken, but it is enough to make his stomach grumble in anticipation. “It smells delicious.”

“Thanks,” Erik says with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Don’t worry, Marco will make it through this,” Thomas say and finally the younger man looks up.

“I hate seeing him like this without being able to help him. He is an Alpha, so obviously he doesn’t let me order him around.”

“I know,” Thomas says. “And that’s why you will need to promise me something.” Erik frowns in confusion. “Erik, he will become increasingly harder to deal with. And since he is trapped in this house without an Omega, he will probably try to jump you very soon. That’s why you need to promise me that you will leave this house when I tell you to.”

Erik meets his gaze. “Only if you promise me something in return. That I can trust you not to hurt him.” Before Thomas can interrupt him, he continues. “You two are Alphas that have seen each other as rivals, perhaps still do. He is bound to rile you up and you need to stay level-headed no matter what he says.”

“Don’t worry, Erik. I can’t promise you that I won’t have to use violence to make him listen to me, but I promise you I won’t hurt him.”

Erik accepts the compromise with a nod and turns away then to focus on his cooking.

Thomas hesitates before addressing the Beta again. “If you’re so worried that Marco and I will tear each other apart, why do you trust me with him alone? You could call an Alpha from your team as well.”

“The others only know that Marco and Mario had a fallout and Mario has returned for Munich for a while. The only reason I know about his rut is because I was the first to check up on him. A few of our teammates tried to visit him as well, but I told them Marco was heartbroken and didn’t want to see anybody. They would constantly worry over him if they knew the truth.”

“He is very important to you,” Thomas states and when Erik’s hazel eyes return to him, there is a challenging glint in them. 

“Mario and Robert aren’t the only ones who have deeper feelings for Marco.”

The news takes Thomas by surprise. “You love Marco? Then why did you have sex with Robert? He was you rival for Marco’s love after all.”

“No, there was never a rivalry between us,” Erik says and sadness fills his eyes. “We both fell for Marco even though we knew it was hopeless because he was meant to be with someone else. Robert and I shared the same pain, the same heartache. And we found comfort in each other’s arms.”

Thomas closes his eyes and takes a deep breath to calm himself, shoving away the mental image of Erik touching his mate.

“So what you’re saying is that everyone loves Marco,” Thomas concludes with a smirk.

Erik smiles softly. “It’s hard not to. It’s so easy for him to care and become attached to people. He just pulls you in and by the time you realize you are falling for him, it’s too late already.”

“Thanks for the warning, I’ll keep it in mind,” Thomas replies and they both share a laugh at the irony of the situation.

Marco comes down the stairs then, his hair still damp and having changed his clothes. He looks a little bit better than before, but Thomas knows from experience it won't last long. He watches as Erik places a bowl with the food he just made in front of Marco before the Beta sits down opposite him warily. “Thanks Erik,” Marco says with a grateful nod before starting to wolf down the food with amazing speed.

“Maybe we are lucky and your rut won't become as bad as I feared,” Thomas says slowly. “I refused eating from day one on while you still have a lot of appetite.”

“I hope you're right,” Marco replies after swallowing down his mouth full. “I don't want to have sex with an Omega that I don't even know, just because my body forces me to.”

“Even if it got this bad, I wouldn't call just anybody,” Thomas informs him. “I know to you, it would feel like cheating on Mario. That's why I told him to be prepared for my call.”

Marco drops his fork in the bowl, a look of utter disbelief and shock on his face. “Mario? He agreed to do this for me?”

“Mario loves you,” Thomas retorts with a gentle but firm voice. “If you really need him, he will be there to help you.”

Marco swallows. “Mario was right in leaving me. But if he really came back even if it was just to help me through my rut, I'm afraid I would be too selfish to let him walk away again. That's why I don't want you to call him, no matter how bad my condition gets.”

Thomas snarls disapprovingly. “I don't care what you want. If your life is on the line, I  _will_ call him.”

Marco's eyes narrow at the older man's disobedience, but he resumes eating without further protest, so Thomas counts that as a small victory.

He doesn't know where this is coming from, but suddenly he feels the need to add, “If push comes to shove, Robert would help you too you know.”

Once again Marco meets Thomas eyes. “You would kill me if I touched him.”

“Perhaps I would,” Thomas agrees with a cruel smile. “But not because he helped you. No, because I know that he still loves you and I would be afraid that you could take him away from me.”

“You two are mated,” Marco points out. “Even if I wanted to, I couldn't tear you apart.”

“Don't be so sure of that,” Thomas replies and this time a growl accompanies his words. “You share a bond with him as well. And I could feel the effect your touch has on him; the desire you still evoke in him even though he is mated to me now.” 

Erik shoots him a warning look. “Careful, Thomas.”

The familiar red sparkle returns to Marco's eyes as he sets the fork down, his hand shaking visibly. “So you are not as sure of Robert's feelings as you like everyone to believe.”

Before Thomas has realized what he is doing, he has crossed the distance between them, grabbing Marco by the front of his shirt and pushing him hard against the wall. From the corner of his eye, he can see Erik jumping up from his seat, but Thomas focuses on the blond only. “I know that Robert loves me more than he ever loved you. What I don't understand is why he still clings to you and you to him.”

Even before he has finished, he notices that Marco isn't really listening to him. He has shut his eyes tightly as though he is pain, but when Thomas inhales he realizes that's not entirely true.

Their short moment of peace is over, Marco's rut is making itself felt.

“You're aroused,” Thomas murmurs and it feels so weird to say these words out loud in the close presence of another Alpha. 

“No shit, Sherlock!” Marco spats back with an amused chuckle before half-heartedly pushing against Thomas' chest. It would have been a lot more convincing if he wasn't rolling his hips against Thomas'.

“Well, now I know how Mats has felt when he helped me,” Thomas remarks dryly before taking a step back and give Marco some space to get his sex drive under control.

After a few minutes Marco joins Thomas and Erik again, helping them clear the table before he gets ushered to his bedroom again because his heavy Alpha scent is making Erik nervous. 

That becomes their routine until the end of the third day. The day Thomas has to send Erik away.

The intervals between Marco's attacks have been decreasing and eventually he wasn't even able to finish his meals without trying to go for Erik, not even caring about Thomas' presence.

The third day has come to an end and Thomas is alone with Marco now, the blond currently taking a nap upstairs while Thomas sits down on the couch, feeling exhausted but his senses too much on alert to get a bit of sleep himself. So instead he calls Robert and Mario. The two Omegas have chosen to stay at the same place – Thomas' in this case – so the Alpha only has to make one call to keep them updated.

“ _Thomas, you're on speaker again,”_ Robert informs him like always even though Thomas isn't expecting anything else.

“ _How is he doing?”_ Mario asks immediately with audible worry.

“Not better,” Thomas replies with a frustrated sigh. “Erik had to leave today.”

He doesn't have to explain why, both Omegas can imagine the reason. “He is snarling whenever I talk to him and I suspect it won't be long until I have to force him to eat.”

“ _The next two days will be crucial,”_ Mario remarks and Thomas doesn't ask how he knows this. Mario has been with Marco for two and a half years and obviously he must have experienced his fair share of ruts.

“Yes, the fifth day is usually when the rut reaches its climax. If he makes it through that, he will be fine.”

He can't suppress a yawn and of course Robert hears it. “ _ Thomas, you sound tired. Please get some rest as well, okay? You will need your strength in the next days more than ever.” _

“I will try,” Thomas promises him before saying goodbye to them and ending the call. Then he stretches out on the couch and closes his eyes.

To his own surprise he actually falls asleep after a few minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to include a lot more into this chapter, but since I don't know if or when I will update next time, I decided to post what I already had.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have not dropped the thought of putting this story on hiatus, but after the support I got from you after the last chapter, I decided to write another one and see if people really want me to continue this story.
> 
> This chapter is the longest of this story and was actually planned to be part of the last one already, so it is once again told from Thomas' point of view. There will be a lot of suffering in this chapter, but at least Marco's rut is coming to an end and things will finally get better for everyone.  
> Please let me know what you think about this chapter.

 

\------------

 

When Thomas wakes up again, he instantly knows that something is wrong.

A quick look at the clock tells him that he has slept for barely two hours and it's in the middle of the night now. Slowly he gets up from the couch, stretching from side to side to loosen his stiff muscles.

The scent of Marco's almost constant arousal is stale, so either Marco is too deep in slumber for this kind of sensation. Or he's not in this house anymore.

“Marco?” Thomas calls out, receiving no answer.

He walks up the stairs with growing anxiousness, but Marco isn't in his bed or the bathroom either. “Shit.” He shouldn't have fallen asleep so carelessly, not without letting someone keep an eye on the other Alpha, Erik perhaps even if it was just from afar.

He runs to the front door, tearing it open and heaving a sigh of relief upon seeing that it hasn't started raining yet. Marco can't be gone for long, so it shouldn't be too hard for Thomas to pick up his trace, especially not in the state he is currently in.

He just hopes Marco hasn't done anything stupid, after all he isn't sane at the moment and his rut has probably reached its climax, causing him a lot of pain.

Marco's car is still parked in the  driv eway, so he must have gone by foot, making it easier for Thomas to track him down. 

Thomas' nose catches up on the other Alpha's smell after a few seconds only, the scent amplified by his arousal and he follows it until the end of the street before he can pick up on something lighter and sweeter underneath. 

“Fuck!” Thomas curses out loud as he realizes in growing horror that Marco was chasing an Omega. He picks up speed, running as fast as his feet can carry him without even paying attention to where he is heading. He knows he's on the right track because Marco's smell gets stronger with each step, but the Omega's scent remains the same, prompting Thomas to hope that perhaps it is just coincidence that both traces lead into the same direction.

However this hope gets crushed when he turn s the corner of a dark alley and almost stumbles back at the smell of Marco's agony. The Alpha is on his knees, his body shivering violently and he is retching.

“Marco!” Thomas calls out and surges forward, grabbing the blond by his shoulders. It speaks volumes of Marco's current state of health that he doesn't snarl or at least jerk when Thomas touches him without permission. Instead he leans against the younger man's side, eyes still shut and trying to calm his ragged breathing. “Marco, what happened?”

It takes a few seconds before Marco manages to reply in a croaking voice. “I needed to get outside. I know it was stupid, but I just had to. Maybe my body could already sense her.”

“Her?” Thomas asks with growing fear.

Marco swallows hard, perhaps making sure that he won't start heaving again. “An Omega.”

Thomas pales. “Please don't tell me you-”

“No!” Marco interrupts him with a snarl, the shiver following his words destroying the brief illusion of defiance. “I followed her and she knew immediately that I was having a bad rut. She felt pity for me.”

“So she helped you willingly?” Thomas inquires though he has to wonder why her scent isn't stronger if she really stayed to help an Alpha take the edge off his rut.

“No. I wanted to ask her for help, but she had a mating bite. And I knew I couldn't possibly ask her for help.”

“Oh,” is all Thomas can reply, unsure whether he should be relieved that Marco didn't do something premature or disappointed because that means Marco's condition won't have improved.

He puts his arms around the blond's trembling body. “Come on, stand up. We need to get back to your home. This will only get worse if another Omega passes by here.”

Marco only gives an unhappy whine in return, but he lets Thomas haul him onto his feet. Not that he would have been able to put up much of a fight.

Thomas leads them back into the direction they came from, trying to animate the sick Alpha to hurry  up . He frown s in confusion when Marco tilts his head to the side to nuzzle the other Alpha's mating bite. The touch feels completely foreign to Thomas, because the need to touch this spot should only come from his mate, not another Alpha. “Marco?”

“Your scent has changed,” Marco mumbles against his skin. “Ever since you completed the mating bond, I can smell a bit of Robert in you. And it's the strongest here at the bite.”

So that's why Marco is behaving so strange. Because he's thinking of Robert, an Omega. “If it helps,”  Thomas says before tightening his grip on the blond's waist and tilting his head slightly to the side to allow the other Alpha better access. 

At the moment he is glad for everything that will help Marco and if his - or rather his mate's - scent is able to help, then Thomas won't complain.

He manages to get Marco back to his house without further incidences, the only two people they meet  being  two Betas who  were able to sense Marco's rut from afar and  we re keeping their distance from the Alpha pair. Thomas has almost expected Marco to try something stupid and go after the Betas who must smell a lot more appealing than Thomas, but nothing of the sort happens. 

As soon as they're back inside the house, Thomas locks the door from the inside and then drags Marco upstairs.

“Come on, get undressed!”

Marco growls disapprovingly at his tone, but after a push from Thomas he lets go and start s to shed his clothes with trembling hands.

Thomas watches him fumble with his zipper for a few seconds before taking pity on him. “Lie down on the bed, I'll deal with the rest.”

As soon as Marco is in a horizontal position, he frees him of the rest of his clothes, hesitating only briefly at the underwear and trying hard to ignore the blond's huge bulge, but they don't have time for pudency now.

Carefully he pulls the last item of clothing down over Marco's legs, another wave of sympathy overcoming him when he hears a pained whine. “Fuck, it hurts!”

“I know,” Thomas replies in a reassuring voice before sitting down at the edge of the bed and carding his fingers through the sweaty blond strands of hair. “A rut lasts five to seven days, right? It's already the fourth day, so maybe tomorrow it will all be over. Just one more day, Marco, I know you can do that.”

Instead of responding Marco closes his eyes, trying to get some sleep though that's only wishful thinking. Thomas glances at his face with worry before standing up to leave the room. To his surprise Marco's hand grabs his wrist instantly.

“Wait. Your scent is helping a bit. And if you're here, I don't have to worry about another incident like the one with the girl.” He opens his eyes again and for the first time in Thomas' presence, he pleads. “Can you please stay?”

“Of course,” he tells him surprised before climbing back onto the bed. He turns his back to the older man and purposefully remains fully dressed in order not to give Marco any ideas. But it seems that there is no need to, Marco merely shuffles closer until his front is plastered to Thomas' back, his nose scenting the latter's throat like he has done outside.

Marco sighs. “I wish Mario was here.”

“Do you need me to call him? He wouldn't want you to suffer.”

“I know, but no, please don't. Like I said when you came here, the price for his help would be too high. I would destroy the last hope our relationship has.”

Thomas doesn't know what to respond to that. He fully agrees with Marco, but on the other hand he's slowly losing hope that the Alpha is going to make it on his own. 

Thomas closes his eyes, clinging to the hope that Marco's rut will soon be over as he falls into an uneasy sleep...

 

When he awakens again, it must be early morning because the sun hasn't risen yet. For a moment Thomas is disorientated at waking up in an unfamiliar bed, heat radiating from his back and something...

He freezes when he remembers where he is, who the person behind him  is  and why this person is currently humping his leg.

“Marco, stop it, it's just me!”

He turns around and to his surprise he realizes that the blond is awake, fiery red eyes staring back at him with lust.

“Marco?” he repeats, this time only hesitantly.

The Alpha gives him a low growl in response before trying to scramble back  as he finally gets what he is doing . He only manages to lie back on the mattress, his deep red cock straining into the air and desperate for release.

And Thomas finally takes pity on him. “Fine. Stay in that position and don't dare to touch me, otherwise this will be over immediately.” He turns to his side, ignoring the confused look that Marco is giving him before he closes his hand around the other man's erection.

Marco yelps in surprise at the unexpected touch and Thomas knows that it won't take much to make him come. He gives the cock a few experimental strokes that are already enough to make the blond arch up and his last shreds of control are slipping away rapidly, precum leaking from his arousal.

“Go faster!” Marco demands in a hoarse voice and for once Thomas doesn't mind the commanding tone. Instead he obeys instantly, his hand moving up and down Marco's shaft with increasing speed and he dares to apply more pressure, drawing a strangled moan from the Alpha at his mercy. He's still trying hard not to lose himself in the sensation, perhaps still struggling with the idea of another Alpha getting him off.

“You're doing good, Marco,” Thomas encourages him softly. “Come for me, I know you can do it.”

Marco tenses even further and Thomas drags his hand from the base to the hilt in one slow motion, getting another long whine in response.

“Please, Marco, come for me,” Thomas says one last time and he lets his thumb brush over the head of Marco's cock.

And that's when Marco finally climaxes, shooting his load over his stomach and Thomas' hand. For a while Marco just lays there, staring up at the ceiling as though he is struggling to believe what just happened. Not that Thomas is doing any better. His hand which is covered in white semen is still wrapped around Marco's cock and it takes him a while before he dares to look at Marco's face. He's afraid of what he is going to find there. Will Marco be mad at him?

“Are you alright?” he asks tentatively and at his words Marco finally meets his gaze, but there's no sign of disapproval in his eyes.

“More than alright, at least for now,” Marco responds with a nervous laugh before becoming serious again. “Thank you. You didn't have to do that.”

“It's fine,” Thomas responds with a shrug. “I'll just get us a towel to clean up this mess.”

At Marco's nod he leaves and returns with a wet towel, cleaning his own hands first before moving to Marco's abdomen. There's a comfortable silence between them while Thomas wipes Marco clean and then leaves him alone to freshen up and walk downstairs to make breakfast.

He tries not to think too closely about what just happened because he had no other choice if he wanted to ease some of Marco's pain. But he knows this won't be the only time. Marco's rut has reached its peak and this will for sure be a very exhausting day for both of them. Thomas has to admit that he is very impressed with the blond's stamina, he's holding himself up well considering the circumstances.

A sigh escapes  him when Marco comes downstairs, freshly showered and hungry, but already with the smell of growing arousal surrounding him  again . He was right, this will for sure be a very exhausting day.

It's late afternoon by the time that Thomas has to realize Marco's condition is still getting worse. He has jerked off the blond on an hourly basis now and though that takes the edge off for a short while, it's clear to see that his body needs to to mate.

This time after Thomas has cleaned Marco off, noticing that every little touch seems to hurt the Alpha by now, he locks himself into the bathroom and dials Robert's number.

His mate picks up instantly.

“ _Thomas? Is everything alright, you haven't called all day. Mario and I were so worried.”_

“No, it's not alright,” Thomas admits and he feels like an absolute failure now. “Marco won't make it through this rut without an Omega. I've been jerking him off eight times today and he isn't getting better. He's already having trouble to climax because he's so worn out yet his body pushes itself further and further as though his life depended on mating someone.” He takes a deep breath. “Mario, I was hoping I wouldn't have to ask this from you. But Marco won't make it through this rut without an Omega. Will you help him?”

The reply comes faster than he anticipated.  _“Of course. I will be coming as fast as we can.”_

“Thank you,” Thomas tells him relieved.

His exhaustion must have been showing in his voice because Robert sounds worried. “ _I will be coming with him. You sound like you're in need of an Omega as well.”_

“I need my mate,” Thomas clarifies with a smile. “I'm missing you.”

“ _We will hurry,”_ Robert promises before hanging up.

For the next three hours Thomas is hopeful that things are going to be alright, after all Mario is on his way here. Perhaps he should have already become worried when Marco threw up right after breakfast and once again after lunch. Perhaps he should have become worried when the next time that he tried to jerk Marco off, the blond only writhed in pain, unable to find release and the smell of his forced arousal being overtaken by one of suffering. Thomas should have known that something was going horribly wrong. But the prospect of Mario and Robert being on their way here, fooled him into thinking things would become better soon.

It is  two hours after his call with the two Omegas when things get out of control completely.

Suddenly Marco gets up from the bed, almost throwing Thomas off it as well in his haste to get away. 

“Marco?” Thomas calls after him confused and when he sees Marco heading for the bathroom, he knows what's coming next. Or at least he thinks he knows.

It is the third time today that he finds Marco kneeling on the floor in front of the toilet and vomiting. But it is the first time that he's vomiting blood.

“Shit!” Thomas shouts and he kneels down next to Marco, rubbing soothing circles on his back like he has done before, speaking in a quiet and calming voice but internally he is panicking.

They are losing the battle against Marco's rut.

His fingers are shaking as he pulls out his phone from his pocket to speed dial his only hope. But before he can do so, that hope actually calls him.

Thomas frowns, wondering if this is a coincidence before picking up. “Robert?”

“ _Are the two of you alright?”_ the Omega asks and he sounds just like Thomas feels. 

“How did you know that something's wrong?” Thomas asks in return.

“ _I don't know, I'm just feeling really miserable all of a sudden, not only emotionally but also physically. And just now I can feel your distress through our mating bond.”_

Thomas shoves his awe of this revelation away from his mind, there are more important problems at hand. “Marco has got a lot worse over the last hours and now he's throwing up blood. How far away are you?”

He knows they can't possibly be nearby even before Mario confirms his suspicion.  _“Still more than_ _three_ _hours even though I'm breaking the speed limits.”_ He sounds horrible, the thought of his mate suffering clearly driving him out of his mind. 

Thomas looks down at Marco who is still dry heaving, blood dripping down his chin and tears streaming down his cheeks. “He won't make it through  three more hours.”

“ _There's got to be something we can do!”_ Mario argues in a harsh tone. 

Once again Thomas looks over to Marco who barely seems to be aware of what's going on around him and suddenly it strikes him.

“There is a way,” Thomas responds in a shaking voice while every instinct is shouting at him not to speak his idea out loud.

“ _What is it?”_ both Omegas ask in unison.

Thomas closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Who of you is driving?”

“ _I am,”_ Robert responds confused.

“Please pull over and let Mario drive.”

“ _Why?”_

He takes another breath before responding. “Because I will need your help for this. I need to feel you with me during every moment.”

“ _You're scaring me, Thomas. What do you want to do?”_

“The only thing that will be able to help Marco at this point. He needs to mate and you two won't make it in time. So that only leaves me.”

There's a silence for exactly two seconds before Robert speaks in a hollow voice.  _“No, Thomas, you're an Alpha. You can't let him take you.”_

“It's the only way,” he replies and his voice sounds a lot more confident than he actually feels. “Please Robert, I have to do it. I don't want to betray you like this, you have to believe me.”

“ _I know,”_ Robert responds and he sounds sad. _“You're suggesting this to help him and that's why I would never think of it as a betrayal. What breaks my heart though is that you're forced into this. You don't want Marco to take you, you feel like you_ have _to_.” Thomas has to close his eyes at the feelings that are transferred through the mating bond, sadness and sympathy. 

“Mario, this is your choice as well. Even though you left him, you two belong to each other and I can't possibly do this without your consent.”

“ _You're right, this is the only option left.”_ Mario says and he sounds so unbelievably sorry. _“Thank you for being willing to do this. Take good care of him until we're there.”_

“I will,” Thomas assures him and only now does it truly sink in what he has to do. He will have to submit to another Alpha. Even in his head it sounds all wrong and he wonders if he will truly be able to do this.

Robert seems to have felt his doubts through the bond.  _“You said I could help you. Please tell me how.”_

He repeats his earlier request and when Robert finally confirms that Mario is the one driving now, he continues. “I need you to let me feel all your love for Marco through our mating bond. Can you do that for me?”

“ _Yes, of course. You really think this will help you?”_

“It's worth giving it a shot. I'm scared of this and I just know that this is never going to work without you.” He's almost pleading at this point.

“ _Thomas, I will be there with you every step of the way. You're the strongest person I know and you can do this.”_

“Thanks.” He doesn't feel relieved at all. “I will see you in two hours then. I'm sorry, Robert.”

“ _No, I am sorry. Mario and I will never be able to thank you enough for doing this, for making this huge sacrifice to help our Alpha. You know you don't have to do this, right?”_

“Yes, I do,” Thomas argues and his voice is finally firm again, his fears hidden underneath the facade of the strong and confident Alpha again. “I have to do everything in my power to help Marco because I love you so much, Robert.”

He ends the call then, knowing that he can't  bear to  hear Robert's response whatever it would have been. He turns his attention back to Marco who seems to have missed most of the conversation. At least he has stopped vomiting for now. “Come on, Marco, stand up.”

He hauls the blond back to his feet, helps him clean up and take a shower before urging him to brush his teeth. It does wonders for Marco, he even manages a grateful smile before walking back into his room and falling onto his bed, too worn out to move further and his breathing scarily flat.

Thomas remains standing at his bedside for a moment and steels himself for what's going to happen next. He can feel Robert through their mating  bond and for once he actually welcomes his mate's love for Marco. It washes over him in steady, calming waves.

“Marco, I just talked to Robert and Mario.” The blond bites his lip but doesn't look surprised, so he adds, “They're on their way here, but they won't make it in time.”

“So you-” Marco begins, but is cut off by a coughing fit wreaking his already weak body and Thomas winces when he sees a spot of red appearing on the covers. “So you want to say goodbye?”

Thomas manages to chuckle despite his panic. “Stop being overdramatic. You're not going to die. Not on my watch at least.”

He sits down next to Marco who is fighting to hold back another cough. Carefully Thomas grips the back of his neck and hauls him closer until Marco's face is pressed against his throat and the Alpha is forced to inhale his scent, right  above the mark. “Lick the  mark .”

Marco tenses and Thomas can't blame him. The mating bite usually is a spot reserved for mates only.

But after a moment he opens his mouth to drag his tongue over the  mark and Thomas feels both pain and pleasure course through his body. But he still doesn't miss Marco's surprised gasp, so it must indeed be helping a bit.  The blond does it again, this time slower and more confidently, clearly losing himself in the  sensation .

Thomas allows the other Alpha to pull him onto the bed with him and it takes a lot of effort for him to remain still when Marco rolls on top of him without stopping licking his bite like an addict.

Thomas concentrates on his bond with Robert instead and only when he hears Marco's possessive growl and can feel the Alpha's returning strength by the way he presses Thomas into the sheets, does Thomas push him back slightly. “Listen, if this is going to happen, then it will be according to my rules.” Marco sneers disapprovingly, his eyes glowing  red  and barely any trace left of the Marco Thomas knows so well.  Thomas  meets his gaze, his fingers in the blond hair to hold the older man at arm's length until finally the red dims down and there are traces of amber in them.

“Thomas, why are you doing this?”

Thomas swallows but chooses to respond truthfully. “Because I don't want you to die. And because Robert still loves you.”

Marco stares at him disbelievingly, but as a violent shiver wrecks his body, he pushes his questions aside. He wants to lean down again, but Thomas' firm grip on his hair stops him. 

Thomas knows he will have to drop the dominant act soon, yet he can't help but hold on to it for a bit longer if only to gain confidence from the familiar before he has to experience the unfamiliar. “Undress me.”

Marco is all too happy to oblige and he pulls back enough to pull Thomas' shirt over his head before fumbling with his zipper. When he has managed to get rid of Thomas' jeans as well as his underwear, the latter finally allows him to put his lips onto the mating bite again. It seems to arouse Marco just as much as Thomas and the feelings from Robert are helping as well until he is meeting the movement of Marco's hips rolling against his in a steady rhythm. Thomas closes his eyes and tries to give himself over to the onslaught of emotions. He doesn't make the mistake of imagining that he's in bed with his mate because Robert is too different from Marco. Instead Thomas pushes his Alpha instincts aside and imagines that he is an Omega, drawing strength from Robert like  he is his life line.

Only when he feels Marco's teeth graze his mating bite, does Thomas' snap and he reverses their positions to sneer warningly at Marco. “No biting! Robert is the only one who can leave his claim on me, understood?”

Marco looks like he wants to protest, but then his face softens and he nods. “Sorry, I got carried away.”

Thomas accepts it by leaning down and dragging his own tongue over Marco's mating bite and the Alpha underneath him tilts his head back approvingly, a strangled moan escaping him. “This feels so amazing.” Then he pushes up and suddenly Thomas finds himself on his back again, the blond above him and it takes Thomas a considerable amount of effort not to growl warningly.

At least the thought goes straight out of the window when Marco once again begins to roll his hips against Thomas', their painfully hard cocks rubbing against each other and  the friction making this almost unbearable. And considering Marco is having a rut and not able to think clearly, Thomas shouldn't be surprised that the Alpha is pushing his thighs up immediately, his cock right at Thomas' virgin hole.

“Marco, I'm not an Omega! If you want to have my ass, you are going to prepare me thoroughly.”

Marco leans back on his heels with an apologetic expression, at least how much that is possible when his eyes are red with lust and his body is shivering with the need to finally bury itself in someone else's body and mate.

Thomas knows there's no need in asking Marco if he has lube. That question is superfluous considering he's had a perfect Omega as his boyfriend for years. No need for lube.

So Thomas only watches as Marco uses his spit before slowly pushing the first finger into his hole. The sensation is unlike anything Thomas has ever experienced and the only word that actually describes it would be 'weird'. It is far from unpleasant, but a completely new sensation for him. 

“Relax,” Marco says and it's almost like an echo from the word that Thomas can hear or rather feel through the mating bond, Robert telling him the exact same thing. So he takes a few calming breaths while Marco begins to stretch him open.

“Ready to take another?” the blond asks him eventually.

After Thomas' nod, he adds a second finger and once again Thomas tenses at the strange feeling. Marco is showing a surprising amount of patience even though his life is depending on this – literally. He scissors his fingers to open Thomas up, moving them in circular motions before adding a third one, this time without asking. By now Thomas has begun to expect the pleasant burn and he's almost looking forward to it and welcoming the feeling of being stretched open.

Marco is watching him closely, his desire clear to see in his eyes and Thomas expects him to finally take him now, but instead he adds a fourth finger and Thomas winces at the stretch before Marco lets him get used to it.

By the time Marco finally retracts all of his fingers at once and strokes himself a few times, Thomas is short of begging to finally have the other Alpha's cock inside of him. Before he can think too much about this, Marco is lining himself up at his entrance and pushing him back until he's lying on his back again. Marco doesn't ask for permission which is perhaps a good thing. He sinks into Thomas slowly and the younger man gasps, his fingers digging hard into Marco's shoulder s as he searches for support. He has tensed up again, thereby making the intrusion more painful and it is only Robert's distant guidance that makes him let go and allow Marco further in.

“Fuck, you're so tight!” Marco whispers through hooded eyes before pulling back and pushing in again.

Thomas groans and he is surprised just how much he enjoys this, to have another Alpha inside of him. It's completely against his nature, but once Thomas has pushed his instincts aside, he has to admit he's enjoying this much more than he would have ever thought possible.

He lets himself get lost in the sensation of Marco slamming into him with increasing speed,  but it isn't until Marco changes the angle to hit his prostate with each thrust that Thomas loses his last shreds of control, arching up into the touch and begging for more.

“I'm gonna come,” Marco manages to say and the words reach Thomas too late. In his earlier panic and now his pleasure he has entirely forgotten exactly why two Alphas don't work together besides their dominance. Why their bodies don't fit together.

The  _knotting_ .

Horror fills him and he pushes against Marco's chest vehemently. “Pull out, Marco, now!”

But it's too late. Even though  Marco tries to stop moving immediately,  he is already arching up and shooting his load into Thomas' body.

Thomas screams in pain at the swelling knot inside of him, at being stretched even though there shouldn't be any more room for stretching.

He is feeling as though he is being split in two, his whole body burning with searing  agony like  a burning fire that smothers his pleasure instantly.

“I'm sorry,” he hears Marco's shocked voice above him. 

The knot is still growing inside of him, at least it feels like it and Thomas tries to push against Marco's broad chest again, though it is a frantic and weak attempt.

Marco's voice is right above him and Thomas concludes that Marco must be pressing his forehead against his own because the blond Alpha is suddenly filling his vision. “Thomas, I can't pull out now. If I did, I would hurt you even more and it could leave irreparable damage.”

Are his eyes amber-green again? Or does Thomas just wish they were, so he wouldn't have to see the scary red again that reminds him that he has been taken by another Alpha?

He doesn't have the strength to respond, so instead he turns his head to the side, so he doesn't have to look at Marco. So that he can ignore the fact that he has just submit ted to another Alpha and  _enjoyed_ it. No real Alpha would feel like this about another Alpha unless there were feelings involved. Yet Thomas isn't in love with Marco, so how could he enjoy this? 

He isn't a real Alpha,  he can't be . 

And that hurts even more than the agony of Marco's knot inside of him.

He doesn't respond to Marco until they are finally able to part after an eternity and Thomas hates himself for how empty he feels now that he doesn't have Marco's cock buried inside of him anymore. He is not an Omega, he shouldn't feel like this.

He's barely  aware of the blond leaving and then returning with a wet towel. He wonders what Marco wants with it; his semen is inside of Thomas while he himself couldn't find his climax when his pleasure was drowned out by the searing pain he was feeling. When Marco presses the cloth against his entrance, Thomas jerks away at the pain of the touch and he finally dares to meet Marco's eyes. Th ey are indeed green and he looks more himself than he has for days, but at the same time there's shock and worry in them.

“I know it hurts, Thomas, but I have to do that, you're bleeding.” 

Thomas doesn't – can't – respond, but when Marco approaches him again, he keeps still. Mostly because he knows there is no use in fighting him,  Marco has proven tonight that he is the more dominant Alpha of them.

When Marco is eventually done, he crawls over the covers until he's lying behind Thomas, his arm winding around the latter's waist to pull him close.

When Thomas' only reaction is to curl further in on himself, he whispers, “I'm so sorry, you had to do this. I hope you can forgive me one day.”

Thomas hears those words, but he doesn't dare to think about them. The shock is starting to wear off and Thomas curls further into a ball to hide his tears as he starts to weep silently...


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been barely three hours since I stated in a reply to a comment, it would take another few days until the next update. And now I suddenly finished it... :D
> 
> This chapter was once again meant to include more, but the second part would have felt too different from the first, so I decided to split it. The next one will be from Marco's point of view.

 

 

Robert’s memory of what exactly happened after Thomas hung up on him is very foggy. He remembers Thomas’ anxiousness slowly fading away while Robert was trying his best to calm him through their bond. Then arousal which was the most confusing emotion of them all because soon Robert had no idea whom these feelings were coming from.

Did they belong to Robert because these were his two Alphas touching each other? Did they belong to Thomas because he realized that Marco was a very attractive man once their rivalry was out of the way? Were they coming from Thomas but actually just an echo from Robert? Or the other way around?

If Robert wasn’t so affected by the arousal coursing through their mating bond, he would have liked to ponder about it.

But as things are, Robert leans back in his seat, his whole body tense and his fingers grabbing the edges in such a tight grip that his knuckles have turned white. Of course it doesn’t help much and Robert understands now why Thomas asked Mario to drive. He closes his eyes, trying not to shut down his link with Thomas even though it feels strange to be getting hard from nothing physical.

He feels Mario’s eyes on him every now and then, clearly able to guess Robert’s state by the smell of arousal that is quickly filling the small space of the car.

Robert recalls the few times that he had sex with Marco, tries to focus on the amazing feeling of the Alpha’s cock inside of him and the way Robert’s heart brimmed with love for the blond. He hopes some of it transfers to Thomas and calms him a bit. Robert moans when he can feel Marco preparing Thomas patiently, the four fingers eventually replaced by something larger and Robert feels as though he is the one being taken, almost able to feel Marco’s cock thrusting into him. Robert can feel his own climax approaching rapidly, his breathing speeding up and his cock straining against the fabric of his jeans. But just when Robert is so gone that he even forgets about the other Omega next to him, whispering Marco’s name in a heated voice, suddenly the bond is filled by excruciating pain.

Robert jerks at the pain inside of him, at being stretched beyond what his body can take; something he hasn’t experienced in years. He is screaming in unison with Thomas, his world narrowing down to the pain inside of him. Robert has no idea how long it takes until the pain lessens and is joined by shame, but at this point he doesn’t care anymore. He is too busy fighting against the abyss of his dark past, desperately trying to bury the memories of the night that he has experienced something even worse because he doesn’t want Thomas to know about this, least of all right now when his mate has already enough pain of his own.

It is Mario who brings him back into the here and now. The younger man has apparently stopped the car when it became clear that something horrible was happening. He rounded the car and is now leaning over Robert, shaking his shoulders and speaking to him with panic in his eyes. “Robert, what’s wrong?!”

Robert takes a few seconds to respond. “Thomas is in pain. I think Marco knotted him.”

Mario understands immediately and the color drains from his face. “Oh God.”

“Please drive,” Robert begs in a shaky voice. “Thomas needs me.”

Mario obeys instantly, getting back into the driver’s seat and driving without as fast as he can manage without risking an accident.

It feels like years later when they finally reach Marco’s house and Robert jumps out the car before it has even stopped moving, waiting impatiently for Mario to open up the front door.

They don’t bother with ringing the door but hurry up the stairs into the bedroom.

Robert knew what he would find there, but he is still not prepared for the murderous fury that drowns out all rational thoughts when he sees the two men lying on the bed.

Thomas has curled into himself, making himself as small as possible while Marco is stretched out next to him, his arm wrapped around the younger man’s waist to keep him close.

Robert knows that what happened isn’t entirely Marco’s fault, but Thomas’ pain is still raw in his mind and without thinking he charges at the pair. Marco merely manages to raise his head, his eyes widening in both surprise and fear before Robert has thrown him off the bed. The blond winces as his back hits the ground and Robert growls at him before he sees Mario approaching him from the side.

“Robert, please stop! Marco didn’t hurt Thomas on purpose.“ He grabs Robert by the arm as though that would be enough to stop the older man from hurting Marco. And perhaps he really believes that.

But Robert pushes him back with so much force that Mario’s body is sliding over the floor until he hits the wall.

The action finally snaps Marco out of his shock and his eyes turn blazing red as he gets back up and goes for Robert. There’s a small part of Robert that is horrified him attacking his Alpha and he supposes that Marco feels the same. But their anger is stronger, the sight of their hurt mates driving them on as they collide in the middle of the room. Marco’s fist hits Robert’s jaw the same time that the Omega’s left hand closes around Marco’s throat. The force of Marco’s punch sends Robert to the ground, his grip on Marco’s throat pulling the Alpha down with him.

The scene is familiar and foreign at the same time; a naked Marco on top of him but violence instead of tenderness in their actions. Robert’s puts as much pressure into his grip as he can, cutting off the Alpha’s air supply while Marco lashes out at him like a tiger with its paw, his fingernails leaving bloody scratches on Robert’s right cheek. The Omega yelps in pain, but doesn’t loosen his grip, his free hand which has been pushing against Marco’s chest to keep his teeth away, joining the other.

He realizes his mistake too late.  
He may be effectively choking Marco now - the Alpha’s erratic movements as well as his increasingly trembling body confirm that – but now the blond has enough space to use his teeth. He lowers his head to Robert’s shoulder and bites down right above the collarbone. Robert jerks from the pain of it, his hands letting go of Marco’s throat to frantically push against every body part of the blond he can reach. But Marco doesn’t let go, his teeth buried deep in Robert’s flesh; so deep even that they have reached the bone of his clavicle. Robert is only glad that Marco didn’t bite down on his still healing mating bite like he did to Thomas after he found out that Robert slept with him. The pain would have been beyond words. It is bad enough as it is, Marco’s mouth not loosening the slightest bit even though Robert hits and tears at Marco, leaving bruises and bloody scratches of his own.

But then there’s a growl coming from behind them and suddenly Marco is thrown off Robert, making the older man cry out as the Alpha’s teeth are violently yanked away from his flesh, ripping his skin open as they drag along his collarbone.

Robert whimpers at the sharp pain, realizing that Thomas was the one to save him when he feels the younger man’s hands on his chest with worry in his eyes. The expression changes to horror when he sees Robert’s blood on his hands.

“Robert?” he calls out in a hollow voice but is forced to turn to the side where Marco has stood up again, taking an aggressive stance as he faces the other Alpha. He hisses angrily and Thomas flinches as though he has been whipped, ducking his head unconsciously though he stays where he is, between his mate and the threat.

Robert stares at Thomas’ face for a long moment as it begins to sink in that Thomas is afraid of Marco. It shouldn’t be so surprising considering what happened between them – or rather what went wrong between them – barely two hours ago. But Robert is still taken aback by the submissive signs that Thomas is giving off and by the way Marco reacts. The blond relaxes slightly and he licks his lips, his tongue darting out to wipe the traces of Robert’s blood away while his eyes are staring at Thomas with lust, the next wave of rut washing over him. And it’s not really helpful that at the moment it seems like there are three submissive people in the room, all of which he has already taken before.

Robert gets up from the ground and places himself between his mate and Marco, knowing that for once he needs to step and defy the blond Alpha.

“Don’t you ever dare to touch my mate again,” he snarls furiously.

Marco’s eyes drop to the severe wound he just inflicted on Robert, some of the fire leaving his eyes as he frowns at it. Robert wonders if it is the amount of blood that’s unsettling him.

“You are my Omega,” Marco states with an insecurity audible in his voice.

Robert doesn't have the faintest idea why the Alpha feels the need to address it now and Robert briefly considers denying it for the first time in his life. But even though he can't remember ever being this angry with Marco, he still feels the same. But that doesn't mean he is going to let Marco get away just like that.

“But you're not my mate,” he snarls while reaching for the Alpha behind him. “Thomas is the one bearing my mark and I belong to him.”

He knows that his words hurt Marco, he can see it in his eyes and he almost expects the younger man to charge at him again. But instead the blond drops his gaze back to the wound on Robert's collar bone. “I know and I understand why you chose him. He manages to be your Alpha without hurting you.”

Robert frowns at the cryptic statement. “What are you talking about? You never hurt me.”

Marco chuckles humorlessly. “You shouldn't say that when I'm the reason you're covered in blood.” When Robert opens his mouth, he adds, “And I refused to become your mate. Don't tell me that didn't hurt you.”

Robert swallows hard. “You're right, that hurt. A lot.”

Marco nods before for the first time he turns to the other Omega in the room who has been watching the fight silently, unsure which side to take.

“You were right, Mario. You were right when you told me that I'm a selfish person. Take a look around.” He makes a sweeping gesture with his hand and there are tears in his eyes when he continues. “I managed to fuck up the life of every single person in this room. I broke Thomas' pride by forcing him into submission. I made Robert my Omega but not my mate.” He takes a step closer to Mario and Robert is startled by the unfamiliar expression in the amber eyes he knows so well. Marco looks pleading, as though he is going to break down any moment. “And by attempting to keep you out of this mess, I broke your heart too. I was so adamant on wrapping up my past, making sure that Robert found the right Alpha before completing my own mating with you that I never saw how much I made you suffer. I wanted to do everything right and instead I did everything wrong.”

Mario is too shocked by the words to respond but he raises his hand to the Alpha's face and the raw emotions in them become calmer as Marco leans into the touch before adding quietly, “I told you that my heart belongs to you, Sunny. That you could ask anything from me and I would do it, no matter what. But I never expected you would ask me to let you go. To rip my own heart out. I know I deserve this, I deserve every kind of punishment from you, but I just wanted you to know that I will never stop feeling this way.”

Mario shakes his head and he takes Marco's face into his hands. “No, Marco, you don't understand. The reason I left you isn't because I want to punish you, I could never do that. No, I left you so we could find our way back to each other. You need to make up your own mind first.”

“I know what I want,” Marco tells him and a possessive growl is in the way he says those words.

To everyone's surprise Mario snarls, “Then fucking act like it! Don't say that Robert is your Omega when you can't say that you're in love with him. Don't tell me you want me to become my mate when you can't stand the thought of Thomas taking Robert away from you.”  
Marco is clearly taken aback and it takes him a moment to respond. “You think I'm feeling insecure?”

“I think, it's like you just said. You're trying too hard to do everything right and end up making everything so much worse,” Mario retorts before smiling sadly. “You constantly downplayed your feelings for Robert in front of me because you wanted to reassure me that I had no reason to be jealous. But after a while all I wanted was for you to finally admit that you're in love with Robert as well. Because by freely admitting that to me you would have proven that you trusted our relationship to be stronger than the one you shared with Robert. But by rejecting your feelings for him, the only thing you have proven is that you think our bond is too fragile and would break if it had to face the one you share with Robert.”

He drops his hand and Marco shudders at the loss of the touch. “I left you so you would finally stop running from your feelings and learn to embrace them; all of them, not just the ones that include me. Because at this point I know your heart better than you do yourself.”

It is deadly silent in the room for a very long time before Marco finally speaks again. “Robert, Thomas, would you please leave us alone?”

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a chapter from Marco's point of view, so no Thomas and Robert here.  
> I apologize in advance for any mistakes, I'm absolutely drained right now. ;)

 

They are waiting until Thomas and Robert have quietly left the room and are walking downstairs towards the front door before finally breaking the silence. It doesn't escape anyone's attention that it is Robert who is gently pulling at Thomas' arm and guiding him instead of the other way around. Marco bites his lip as he suppresses the urge to stop the two men, needing to apologize to Thomas for what he did to him and to Robert for hurting his mate. Not to mention the deep and ugly bite wound he inflicted on the Omega… But he doesn't have the right to do that yet. First Robert needs to be the one to take care of Thomas. And Marco needs to settle things with his own mate.

Mario merely looks at him until neither of them can hear Thomas and Robert anymore, until they are truly alone. Then his expression softens and regret fills his eyes. But it isn't regret for Marco, of course not.

“What have you done, Marco?” His voice is surprisingly gentle and Marco crumbles underneath it instantly.

“I didn't mean for any of this to happen,” Marco manages to admit before a sob cuts him off and his body begins to tremble, all of his built-up emotions erupting like a volcano. He is barely aware that he is reaching out for the smaller Omega, not until he suddenly feels arms coming around him and pulling him close. Until he is finally being held in the arms of the man he loves so much and who has left him barely a week ago. “We were supposed to get out of this mess and break that bond I share with Robert. And instead of fixing it, I made everything worse and dragged you and Thomas into this as well.”

Mario pulls back and cups Marco’s face firmly. “That’s not true. Thomas and I have already been in this mess before. He is Robert’s mate and you are mine. That bond between the two of you was always supposed to involve Thomas and me as well.”

Marco takes a deep breath and inhales Mario’s scent, letting it calm him before he guesses, “You left me so I could sort things out with Robert myself, didn’t you?”

Now that he has said it out loud it seems kind of obvious, but it wasn’t what Marco had initially thought.

Mario frowns. “Of course. Why else would I have left you?”

“Because I disappointed you,” Marco replies without hesitation. “Because you deserve an Alpha who will put you and only you first. That’s why I was so afraid what would happen between you and Mats. He is a strong and confident Alpha and he doesn’t have a mate.”

He flinches in surprise when Mario hits his chest chidingly. “You’re an idiot. I love you and not Mats. Even if I believed that he could take better care of me than you did, I couldn’t be with him. I couldn’t be with anybody else. It’s either you or nobody at all.”

His words are exactly what Marco needed to hear, but at the same time it makes him realize that his own situation regarding this topic is a lot more complicated. “And now you demand the same conviction from me.”

Mario shakes his head though and a small smile appears on his face. “If I did that, I’d be either stupid or needlessly cruel. I know how much Robert means to you and I would never want you to feel differently about him. All I’m asking from you is that you finally admit this to yourself. And more importantly what this means for us.” 

“You sound like you already have an idea of what you’re expecting me to say,” Marco suggests carefully.

Mario’s only response is a cryptic smile as he sits down on the bed, waiting for Marco to go on.

“Fine, you’re right. I’m in love with Robert,” Marco admits and it is surprisingly easy to say it out loud. “I think I was already in love with him before he shared his heat with me three years ago. I’ve always blamed that incident on the natural attraction between an Alpha and an Omega or perhaps my own need to make him feel better. But if I’m completely honest with myself, it can’t be either of these two options. When I realized that I wanted him and followed him into the showers, I was still under the impression that he was a Beta.”

“You never really told me why you’re the only Alpha Robert trusted enough to help him. You two didn’t have much contact anymore when he called you all these weeks ago and you immediately drove to Munich as though his life depended on it. All you said was that Robert doesn’t trust any other Alpha with this.”

He doesn’t go on but chooses to leave the obvious question hanging in the air. 

“That’s all I could tell you back then,” Marco answers regretfully. “I wish I could tell you the reason now, but that’s something only Robert can do himself. I would be betraying his trust if I blurted it out without his consent.” 

“Okay, but it’s not because you still love him and miss him?”

“No, of course not,” Marco reassures him. “I meant it when I said I’m the only one Robert would let him help through his heat and he would have preferred to suffer alone instead of asking anybody else.”

Mario accepts his reply with a relieved nod. “Alright, I believe you. But he has Thomas now. Why is it still so hard for you to accept that?”

Once again Marco gets the feeling that his mate already knows the answer to his own question and only voices it to make him think carefully about this matter. “Because Thomas being his mate doesn’t change the fact that Robert is still my Omega. I know I should stop thinking that way, but that’s how I feel.”

Mario takes his conviction a lot better than Marco would have anticipated, clearly having expected the same. “I think the problem is that Robert sees this exactly like you do. He knows that I’m your mate, he knew this even before we did, but for him you’re still his Alpha.” He chuckles. “You know, I think the three of us - Robert, you and I - were in a relationship together for years without even knowing it.”

“When I was alone with him in Munich and Thomas suddenly entered the picture, I certainly acted like his boyfriend,” Marco remembers. “I knew that Thomas was thinking that Robert is my mate, but I never saw a problem with that. Quite the contrary. I never enlightened him because I was hoping that he would keep his distance from Robert if he thought that we were mated.”

“I know,” Mario says. “Your plan backfired though. By trying to keep me out of your mess with Robert, you made Thomas believe that you are his rival for Robert. You created another triangle and now we are stuck with two love triangles that actually build one large love quadrangle.”

Marco groans and drops down onto the mattress beside Mario. “Why can’t I fuck up just a bit like any other person? Why do I have to fuck up so royally?”

Mario chuckles and drapes himself over Marco, a fond smile lighting up his face. “Because you’re you and you never do things the easy way. You know, if I had known how deep your feelings are for Robert, I would have talked to you about this a lot sooner. Perhaps we would have found another way.”

Marco turns his head towards Mario, unsure if he’s getting his mate’s words the right way. “You are not suggesting what I think you are suggesting, are you?”

“I don’t know what I’m suggesting,” Mario replies with a deep frown on his face. “I’m just saying that I never saw Robert as a threat until you made me. Until you focused so much on him that I felt neglected.” Marco opens his mouth to interrupt him, but Mario isn’t finished yet. “You know what I think the biggest question left now is? It’s whether this is truly a love quadrangle that involves all four of us equally or whether it’s two love triangles that have you and Robert as the pivotal element.”

Marco frowns in confusion. “Of course it’s about me and Robert. The problem is that he has two Alphas and I two Omegas. Isn’t it?”

For some reason he isn’t so sure anymore and judging by Mario’s thoughtful expression, his mate is thinking the same. “Until a few hours ago I thought the same. But I’m afraid things have taken on a whole new level of complexity now.”

“Because I slept with Thomas,” Marco muses and he feels like the circle that their conversation has been taking is finally coming to a close. 

Mario nods. “He is an Alpha, it’s against his nature to submit to you yet he managed to do it. And I have the growing suspicion that he could only do it because it was you.”

Marco shakes his head. “I was dying and he knows how important I am to Robert. He submitted to me for his mate.”

“I'm not saying he didn't,” Mario assures him. “But what happened between the two of you will have a lasting impact on all four of us. Up to a few hours ago the only thing connecting you and Thomas was your love for Robert. That's not the case anymore now. Have you seen how Thomas reacted to you when he tried to defend Robert?”

Of course Marco does. Thomas' reaction to his growl took him by total surprise. “He was afraid of me and almost submitted to me again.”

“You forced him into an Omega's position by taking him like you would take me, by knotting him. I'm afraid it will take a while for Thomas to cope with that and for you to stop thinking of him like your third Omega.”

“I'm not thinking of him as my third Omega!” Marco argues taken aback by the absurd thought.

“Really?” Mario counters. “Then why did you accept his submission so easily? Why did it calm you when he dropped his gaze?”

Marco bites his lip as he realizes Mario may have a point there. “But I know that Thomas is an Alpha. And not just any Alpha, he is Robert's Alpha.”

“Your mind knows that, but I'm not so sure about your body. And as long as a part of you sees Thomas as another Omega rather than Robert's rightful Alpha, you will be unable to stay away from both Thomas and Robert, much less let them go.”

Mario’s thoughts and assumptions are making more sense than Marco is willing to admit. It’s true, if he was still seeing Thomas as an Alpha and perhaps a rival even, then Marco wouldn’t feel so protective around him. But the moment that he realized he was hurting Thomas, he wanted to hold him in his arms and be the one to comfort him. To make it up to him for betraying his trust like this, for having inflicted pain on him. And not only that…

“I wanted to bite him, you know.” His confession shocks him almost more than Mario. “When I was inside of him, I had this urge to bite down on the side of his throat and make him mine. It felt as though I had the right to do that, I don’t know why.”

Mario is silent for a while. “What about his mating bite? That should have deterred you, the visible claim of someone else.”

“That’s the strange thing,” Marco replies. “The mark only urged me on even more. I wanted to lay my claim on him right above Robert’s.”

“What made you stop then if it wasn’t the mating bite?”

“ _You_ did. I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I would betray you if I marked Thomas.”

He watches silently as Mario raises his hand to the side of his throat, his fingers gently touching the mark he left on the Alpha two weeks ago. Marco flinches at the pain of the touch, but at the same time he wants more of it.

Mario sighs. “Perhaps you wanting to mark Thomas is my fault. You’re suffering from an incomplete mating bond for two weeks now. Maybe your body is simply desperate to complete it and not even caring with whom.”

Marco swallows hard. “That sounds logical. My mating bite has become worse with every passing day and it’s been throbbing and itching nonstop ever since my rut started.”

Mario raises his gaze from the wound back to Marco’s eyes and he drops his hand from the Alpha’s throat to his chest, his fingers curling slightly.  
“I’m sorry for having let you down, Marco. I should have known that the incomplete mating bond would cause you trouble and I should have helped you through this rut at least.”

He really means it, Marco realizes and he shakes his head vehemently, his own hand coming up to cover Mario’s right above his heart. “No, Mario, I won’t let you take the blame for this. You broke up with me and rightfully so. I would have never asked of you to help me through my rut. I deserved to suffer through it alone.”

“Why are you so intent on punishing yourself like this?” Mario retorts confused.

Marco didn’t even see it like a punishment, but it is a fitting term for what he is doing to himself. “I let you down. I’m your Alpha, I’m supposed to take care of you and put your needs before my own. And I failed you.”

It hurts to speak the bitter truth out loud. He never was the typical dominant Alpha when it came to Mario.

The Omega is apparently thinking the same thing. “Stop belittling yourself. You and I never were like that. You were the protective and caring Alpha for Robert because he needed you to be. But around me you were different, you allowed yourself to appear weak as well. I wouldn’t want that to change between us. What I wanted from you was that you finally realized that you don’t need to be so strong and protective around Robert anymore because he has got Thomas now.”  
Marco’s eyes widen as he begins to realize just how much he screwed up. “But now that I hurt Thomas’ pride, it will be the other way around. Now Robert has got to be the strong one to help his mate heal.”

“Exactly,” Mario replies regretfully. “Without meaning to you have reversed the roles in their relationship as well. With Thomas doubting himself and acting submissive, Robert is forced to step up to the role of the confident and dominant one. But who knows, maybe it will help you to finally let go of him. Until an hour ago I would have never expected to ever see you and Robert fighting like you did. I thought it was impossible for you to physically hurt him.”

Marco winces at the reminder. “I thought the same.” He can still taste Robert’s blood on his lips, the proof of another failure. “I promised Robert that I would never hurt him and that I would protect him from every Alpha. I never imagined I would ever have to count myself among them.”

At this Mario pulls him into his arms again and Marco leans against him in search of support, suddenly feeling drained and tired. He closes his eyes and inhales Mario’s light scent, realizing only now just how badly he needed it. “I miss you, Mario.”

He tightens his grip around Mario when he feels the Omega turning his head to the side and placing a soft kiss to his temple.  
“Believe me, Marco, I miss you too. But I can’t return to you just yet.”

“I know,” Marco whispers and even though he hasn’t expected a different answer, the words still pierce his heart like daggers and he feels tears burning in his eyes. “You can’t return to me until I have sorted things out with Robert. Until my heart has fully accepted that he belongs to Thomas and that I don’t have the right anymore to be possessive of him.”

Mario doesn’t respond for a while, but Marco can feel his body trembling as he tries hard not to cry. They just hold each other for several long minutes and Marco is glad that he is in the last phase of his rut and not constantly tormented by arousal anymore. He just wants to feel his mate’s arms around him and savor that feeling of security for as long as he can.

Eventually Mario pulls back to look at him. “Come on, let’s get some sleep. You’ve had a few rough days and it won’t be long until you will be too restless to sleep again.”

Marco doesn’t protest and allows the Omega to pull him down onto the mattress with him, but his heartbeat speeds up in fear. He doesn’t want to sleep and wake up in the morning to the other side of the bed cold and empty.

It must have shown on his face because Mario’s gaze softens. “Don’t worry, I will still be there in the morning. This should be the last day of your rut.” His little smile tugs at Marco’s heart. “I will stay with you until your body is back to normal.”

“No, you can’t,” Marco replies instantly even though this is exactly what he wants. “I couldn’t even resist Thomas, so how could I resist _you_? I don’t want to force myself on you, least of all now when you made it clear that we need a bit of distance to find back together again.”

Mario shakes his head and brings up his hand to the nape of Marco’s neck. “That’s very honorable of you, Marco. But I’m still your Omega and it’s my responsibility to help you through your rut. I told you, what’s happened with Thomas and what he is going through right now is my fault even more than it is yours. I abandoned you when you needed me the most and I had no right to do that unless I meant to break up with you for good. Which is not the case.”

Marco hadn’t been so sure about that and the confirmation that Mario still sees hope for them finally allows him breathe again. “Thank you. For still believing in me despite my many faults.”

Mario chuckles fondly. “Nobody’s perfect. And it’s our faults that make us human.”

Marco can’t help himself and he leans forward to place a kiss onto his Omega’s lips, hoping it conveys all of his gratitude better than words could. Then he closes his eyes and it doesn’t take long until he falls asleep in the arms of his lover…

 

Marco is awakening only slowly, unwilling to open his eyes just yet. Instead he chooses to enjoy the warmth seeping into him from the familiar body beside him, relief flooding him at the knowledge that Mario is still here with him.

His wonderful light and sweet scent has filled the room and it takes Marco a lot of effort not to bury his nose in the crook of the younger man’s neck and fall back asleep.

Mario must have sensed that he is not really sleeping anymore because he begins stroking the side of Marco’s face slowly, the innocent touch sparking the desire in the Alpha again.

Marco shudders and he finally opens his eyes to find Mario’s face only inches away from his own. “Are you really sure you want to stay here with me? I won’t be able to hold back.”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Mario tells him with conviction. “It was my rejection that made you suffer through this rut and drove you into another man’s arms. And that thought hurts so much. I want to be the one who turns your pain into pleasure, the one you make love to. Please.”

His words are hurting and healing Marco at the same time and cups Mario’s face tenderly. “You of all people don’t have to beg me for anything, Sunny. If you want me to make love to you, I will.”

Mario’s eyes light up at these words, but he seems to still be hesitant. “Even though I will still leave you tomorrow?”

“Yes, even then. You leaving me doesn’t change my love for you,” Marco replies and he has never been more sure of anything than in this precise moment.

Slowly he leans forward and captures Mario’s lips with his own,  giving the Omega time to change his mind. 

But instead Mario presses his body closer and deepens the kiss, opening his mouth and his tongue asking for entrance. Marco lets out a needy whimper before mirroring the action, their tongues starting their sweet little dance as they explore each other first hesitantly but soon with growing passion. They devour each other as the blond presses the younger man back into the sheets, his heart brimming with the love filling him and his naked body singing its desire.

With trembling hands Marco pulls the shirt over Mario's head before they drop to the Omega's jeans and tugging impatiently at it. Mario  seems all  too happy to comply as he is wriggling out of the rest of his clothes without breaking their heated kiss. Both men groan at the electrifying feel of being skin on skin, no layer of clothing left between them.

Whe n the need for air becomes too strong, their mouths begrudgingly part and Marco moves down to Mario's throat, the tip of his tongue darting out to lick the skin there and drawing a surprised yelp from his mate.

Marco suppresses the urge to enclose the spot with his teeth, knowing he is trudging dangerous waters already and the temptation to bite down and finally make his beloved Mario his forever may become unbearable. So he quickly licks a stripe down the Omega's chest and over his stomach, lingering for a moment at his navel until Mario is panting in anticipation.

“Marco, please.”

Of course Marco knows what exactly his lover is asking for, but knowing this might be his last opportunity to worship Mario's body, he doesn't comply right away. He grabs the Omega's thighs to push them up before finally dragging his tongue over the source of the sweet smell in the air, Mario's hole. The Omega's breath stutters and a moan escapes him, urging the Alpha on as he licks over the spot, his tongue swirling playfully over the sensitive hole,  greedily licking up the Omega's slick leaking from his body .

“God, Mario, you taste even more delicious than usual,” Marco whispers before continuing with his task and drawing louder sounds from the younger man.

Only when he pulls back a bit, admiring the reddened skin does Mario get to reply with an audible grin, “Maybe it feels like that to you because you had sex with another Alpha last time.”

Marco meets Mario's eyes, but there is only warmth and love in them.

“Marco, I need to feel you inside me,” the Omega whispers even though it is Marco who is having a rut and it calms the Alpha a bit that his mate wants him as badly as he wants the Omega.

Marco bites his lip to keep himself from making another love confession; the separation tomorrow will be already hard enough as it his and instead he pushes into Mario with one snap of his hips, stilling for a few seconds to give the Omega time to adjust.

“Move,” Mario orders after a moment and Marco does, setting up a steady rhythm as he pushes deeper into the other man's inviting heat, changing his angle until he has found the spot he has been looking for.

Mario gasps loudly and arches his back as Marco hits his prostate for the first time. “Yes, Marco, please!”

This time the Alpha obeys his Omega's command instantly and speeds up his thrusts, hitting Mario's prostate every time. The Omega is the one who comes first, a scream erupting from his throat as his orgasm washes over him. The clenching of his walls around Marco's cock make the Alpha follow him over the edge right after and shoots his load into the Omega's body, marking him as his for tonight as his knot grows inside of the other man's body before he slumps over the smaller man's back as they drop back onto the mattress.

Marco nuzzles against the back of Mario's neck until the Omega tilts his head back and captures the Alpha's lips in a kiss full of love.

After a few minutes Marco is able to pull out again and he closes his eyes, too exhausted to move, but he still feels Mario stand up and get a towel to clean him off.

He could swear that he heard the Omega whisper 'I love you, Mars' before he falls asleep...


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out very, very different from what I had imagined, but the outcome is a lot better than my initial vision (in my opinion at least).  
> Some of you were hoping that Robert and Thomas will make love in this chapter, but it didn't feel right to me and I hope you won't be disappointed that I didn't go into this direction.
> 
> I was listening to two beautiful Hindi movie songs on loop while writing this chapter and for those interested, I highly recommend to listen to them as well when reading this chapter:  
> 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' (which means 'This heart is complicated') from the movie of the same title  
> 'Just Go to Hell Dil' (dil is the Hindi word for heart) from the movie Dear Zindagi

 

Thomas doesn’t speak much as they drive to Dortmund’s hospital. Despite the still bleeding wound at his shoulder Robert is the one behind the wheel and he keeps throwing Thomas worried glances, but the younger man doesn’t meet them, too afraid that his mate will want to talk about what happened with Marco.

A few times Robert reaches out with his right hand to squeeze his arm, but Thomas merely closes his eyes each time, guilt and shame filling him again as he realizes just how badly he needs these little comforting touches. How much he not only needs the Omega’s reassurance but also wants him despite the earlier proof of his failure as an Alpha…

He balls his fists to push the memory away with all his might, shuddering slightly when his mate’s hand moves up to his throat, his thumb brushing soothingly over the mating bite.

“It will get better, Thomas,” Robert tells him softly. “There’s nothing you have to be ashamed of.”

Thomas doesn’t respond. He can’t agree because there are too many things he is ashamed of.

He betrayed his mate by sleeping with another man. He defied his own nature by submitting to another Alpha. He let his Omega face that Alpha’s anger. And worst of it all he let his mate get injured in the resulting fight. Tonight he has failed not only as an Alpha but also as a mate.

After they have reached the hospital and exited the car, he wordlessly follows his mate, barely aware of what is going on around him because his attention is constantly drawn to the blood-soaked front of the Omega’s once light grey shirt.

His state of shock and denial only ends when one of the nurses is leading them into another room where Robert can lie down on the examination table while a doctor is treating him.

The doctor – an elderly Beta with her long grey hair combed backwards in a ponytail – inspects the wound closely before looking up at Thomas with narrowed eyes.

“You are his mate?”

He merely nods, taken aback by her barely hidden hostility.

“This wound is severe and it will take a long time to heal, that much I can already tell.” She turns back to Robert and her expression softens. “There’s not much we can do besides bandaging it and letting it heal on its own.” She hands him a piece of paper. “All I can do is prescribing you this ointment. Please apply it thrice a day when you change the bandages.” She gives Thomas a nervous glance before continuing speaking to Robert, “You will need my testimony when you report this incidence. Just give me a call when you’re ready.”

Thomas frowns in confusion and when he meets Robert’s eyes, his mate seems just as clueless. “What do you mean by me reporting the incidence?”

“Honey, just because you’re an Omega doesn’t mean you don’t have rights. Make a report at the police station and state domestic violence from your mate, everything else will be taken care of.”

Thomas freezes as he gets what she is implying though he should perhaps not be surprised that this is her first assumption.

Robert sits back up again. “There’s a misunderstanding here. This wasn’t my mate’s doing.”

“There is no need to lie to me, Mr. Lewandowski,” she says, apparently trying to sound soothing. “This is a bite wound from human teeth and judging by the Alpha pheromones clinging to it, this happened during sex. I understand your fear of your mate’s punishment, but this shouldn’t keep you from looking after yourself.”

Robert’s response is a disapproving snarl. “My mate didn’t do this. If you don’t believe me, take a sample of Thomas’ saliva or pheromones or whatever you want and compare it to the traces in my wound. I can guarantee they won’t be the same.”

The doctor looks between Robert and Thomas for several seconds before turning to Thomas with an apologetic expression. “Then I’m sorry for insulting you like this. I didn’t mean it personal, it’s just that I had many such cases of Alphas abusing their Omegas before and this wound seemed to fit the stereotype. I didn’t mean any offense.” She ducks her head to emphasize her words, her Beta status showing in the way she casts her eyes down.

“None taken,” Thomas replies. “You were just doing your job and I get why this was the logical assumption for you.”

She nods gratefully before turning back to Robert. “The pheromones from the Alpha who bit you will for sure slow down the healing process. Did you have intercourse with the Alpha while he bit you? Because that could be a problem.”

Robert’s eyes briefly dart to Thomas before he shakes his head. “No, he had slept with somebody else when he bit me.”

“That’s good,” the Beta exclaims in relief. “Then there shouldn’t be any additional complications. Just keep the wound clean and take it easy for the next few days.”

“So no training I guess?” Robert asks and if the situation wasn’t this serious, Thomas would have chuckled at his disappointed tone.

Of course the doctor didn’t miss it as well. “As long as there is no heavy lifting and you keep the ball away from your shoulder, I don’t see why you couldn’t do some individual training.”

“Thank you,” Robert replies and his wide smile makes Thomas feel slightly better even if it isn’t directed at him.

“Then we’re done now,” the doctor says while writing something down on her clipboard.

Robert gives Thomas an insecure look and the younger man can feel tentative worry coming through their mating bond. The Omega doesn’t say anything, but Thomas still gets what he wants to ask. If Thomas wants to let the doctor examine him as well.

Thomas shakes his head at his mate, trying to squish down the rising panic at the thought of somebody else finding out about what he did, about his failure as a strong and dominant Alpha. He feels Robert trying to calm him through the bond, silently reassuring him that it was merely a suggestion.

When they leave the room to finally get out of the hospital, Robert leads him through the hallway, his arm around Thomas’ waist as though _he_ is the one with the injury. The warmth that seeps into Thomas’ skin from the touch grounds him and he has the suspicion that Robert knows exactly how much he needs it at the moment. He manages to push away the shame and leans closer to his mate, but just when they round the corner and reach the entry area he freezes at the sight of the man standing there.

“God, Robert, I’m so sorry for what happened,” Erik says as he rushes towards them and pulls the Omega into a one-sided hug, careful to stay away from the bandaged shoulder. His eyes widen in shock when he pulls back and sees just how blood-stained Robert’s shirt is.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Robert informs him before turning to Thomas who has been watching them with confusion. “I sent Erik a short text right before the doctor came and told him he should come here. You were still under shock and I didn’t want to burden you further or make any false assumptions, that’s why I didn’t tell you.”  
Thomas can only nod, but his heartbeat speeds up and his body tenses. Erik is one of the strongest Betas Thomas has ever seen, one who could hold his ground against an Alpha having a rut for an impressive amount of time. Did Robert tell him all the details of what happened last night? And if so, does Erik see him differently now?

“Thomas,” Robert says, pulling him out of his thoughts. “I told Erik that I had a fight with Marco. That’s it.”

Thomas closes his eyes in relief, silently chiding himself for thinking Robert could expose him like this. His fear must have been so strong that it transferred to his mate.

Erik looks between them curiously. “Does that mean there’s even more than you getting injured?”

Robert nods grimly. “That’s why I wanted you to come here. I needed to get away from Marco for everyone’s sake, we would have torn each other apart. And obviously I can’t go back there."

“Of course. But I don’t think that it would be of any use if I was the one going there, he would be all over me the second I walked through the door.”

“No, he won’t” Robert argues. “His rut has come to an end.”

Surprise crosses Erik’s face. “His rut was so bad I had my doubts he could make it through that one on his own and without an Omega.”

Robert’s eyes flicker to Thomas again before he speaks again. “Well, you were right. He didn’t make it on his own.” He bites his lip and Thomas steels himself for Erik to find out the entire truth.

The Beta pales. “No, Robert, please tell me you didn’t let him take you.”

“There was no other choice, Marco needed me.” His voice is firm, his face giving nothing away that could indicate that he is lying.

Thomas stares at him, wondering why he didn’t tell Erik the truth. Why would he want the Beta to believe that he slept with Marco?

Erik pulls back from Robert and turns to Thomas, his hazel eyes filled with sympathy as he puts his arms around him and the older man tenses, fearing that Erik will be able to smell Marco on him. The blond’s scent will probably be clinging to him for a few days considering Thomas stayed with him for almost five days and Marco had been almost constantly aroused. But apparently Erik only blames the Alpha’s scent on the long time Thomas was with him because he doesn’t comment on it. “I’m so sorry, Thomas. I can’t even imagine how you must feel like.”

Thomas is too taken aback by the whole situation – Robert’s lie and Erik thinking that Thomas is upset about having to share his Omega – to respond. He throws a questioning glance at Robert over Erik’s shoulder, but his mate’s face is unreadable. Instead he addresses Erik again. “I hope you understand why neither I nor Thomas can take care of Marco any longer. His rut may be over, but I have the feeling he will be absolutely miserable and in need of a friend.”

Erik lets go of Thomas to turn back to Robert. “Don’t worry, I will stay with him. You two need to get home and figure this weird situation out.”

“Thank you” Robert replies with a grateful smile. “One more thing though. Mario was with him when we left. I'm not sure if something happened between them, but knowing Mario I can’t imagine that he would let his Alpha suffer like this. And that is the reason why I’m so worried about Marco. If Mario actually left him once again after letting Marco claim him, Marco will be an emotional mess.”

“I’m afraid you’re right,” Erik agrees. “Leave that to me, you two have enough problems of your own.”

Robert looks at Thomas then, his hard expression softening. “Let’s get back home, Alpha.”

Thomas flinches at the word, understanding that Robert is trying to reassure him and show him that he is still thinking of Thomas as his Alpha, but deep in his heart Thomas knows he doesn’t deserve it. To be called an Alpha when he let Marco knot him. He supposes things would be different if he was mated to Marco; that he could willingly submit to another Alpha if they were mates – after all there also rare cases of Alpha couples.

But Marco isn’t his mate. He is not even his lover.

Thomas should have been fighting against the mere thought of Marco taking him. But instead he was enjoying it for one sinful moment and no matter how hard he tries, he will never be able to deny this unwelcome truth.

Robert taking his hand and gently pulling him towards the exit snaps Thomas out of his thoughts. Thomas blinks a few times and tries to focus on the Omega, feeling a jab in his heart at the visible worry in those eyes, knowing he is responsible for it. Thomas should be the one taking care of his Omega, not the other way around. He jumps in surprise when Erik touches his shoulder. “Robert is still your mate. He bears your mark, not Marco‘s and the bond between the two of you can’t be broken just because another Alpha slept with your Omega. I know it’s easier said than done, but please don’t let this haunt you. Robert did this to save Marco and you shouldn’t feel like a failure for sharing your mate with another Alpha.” His lips quirk upwards into a sympathetic smile. “Not many Alphas could have done that and I admire you for your strength.”

“Thank you, Erik” Thomas replies while his heart sinks. If Erik knew the truth of what really happened with Marco, he would think much differently about Thomas for sure.

He lets himself be led out of the hospital by his mate and to the parked car.

This time Thomas doesn’t miss Robert quickly typing a message on his phone and upon noticing his gaze, Robert looks up. “I just let Marco in on what exactly I told Erik and asked him to go along with the lie.”

Thomas takes the keys from Robert’s hand and gets into the driver’s seat while Robert is rounding the car. Only when they the car has started rolling, does Thomas ask the one thing he can’t really get his head around.  
“Why did you lie to Erik? Why did you let him believe that it was you who let Marco take him?”

Robert doesn’t reply for so long that Thomas begins to think he won’t get an answer at all. He briefly looks over to his mate who is staring straight ahead; clearly contemplating whether to respond or not.

Eventually he says, “Because I know you’re ashamed of what actually happened. You are afraid of being judged by other people for submitting to another Alpha.” Finally he looks at Thomas and it takes the younger man a lot of effort to keep his eyes on the road instead of searching those blue depths for the truth. “I’m an Omega and I was Marco’s lover once. No one will have to ask why I let him take me even though I’m mated to somebody else.”

Thomas feels a lump forming in his throat when he realizes Robert is taking the responsibility for what happened to save him. “But everyone will think you betrayed me with your ex.”

“Let other people think what they want. You know the truth and that’s all that matters to me.” He leans over and places a little kiss onto Thomas’ cheek, before moving down to his neck and rubbing his nose over the mating bite in a soothing manner.

Thomas gasps at the sensation, but it has the intended effect. His worries begin to fade, his mate giving him the solace he needs right now and it takes him a lot of effort to concentrate on the street.

They spend most of their ride in silence and by the time they arrive back in Munich it is early afternoon. The front door has barely closed behind them when Robert surges forward and puts his arms around Thomas, embracing him tightly despite his bandaged shoulder.

Thomas closes his eyes and breathes in his mate's intoxicating smell, letting his Omega's scent wash over him and erase him. As though having read his thoughts, Robert whispers into his ear, “I'm here, Thomas and I won't leave. I marked you as mine, I showed the world that you are my Alpha and I your Omega. Nothing's going to change that.”

His words get right to Thomas' heart, this promise of unconditional love and loyalty, but the shame is still there. “You should have picked a stronger Alpha as your mate. You could feel my pleasure through our bond, couldn't you? The pleasure at being claimed by another Alpha. I enjoyed to submit to someone who isn't my mate.” Tears are welling up in his eyes at finally admitting his betrayal out loud.

Robert pulls back with a possessive growl and his hands cup Thomas' face firmly, blue eyes blazing with hurt and anger.  
“Marco didn't claim you. He may have taken your body, but the only claim on your body is mine.” His fingers dig into the mark on Thomas' throat and the younger man winces at the dual sensation, both pain and desire coursing through his body. “You are my mate and you belong to me, Thomas. What you did last night, you did for me. You saved my first Alpha's life by making the biggest sacrifice an Alpha can make. Don't expect me to hold this against you or love you any less because I can't do either.”

Thomas sobs and he presses Robert even closer, the pungent smell of the ointment filling his nose and when he takes a deep breath, he shudders at the intense mix of the ointment, blood and Marco's scent clinging to Robert.

Thomas allows himself to cry into his mate's shoulder before having enough strength to say the obvious out loud. “I'm messed-up, Robert. You deserve a better Alpha.”

To his surprise Robert laughs softly though it quickly turns into a sob as well. “I'm messed up, too. Ever since I marked you, I've been thinking that you deserve a better Omega.”

Thomas knows what he is talking about. “Your infertility doesn't make you a bad Omega. It doesn't matter to me, I love you just the same.”

“Thank you,” Robert replies gratefully. “It is the same with me though. You're my mate, the Alpha I chose to spend the rest of my life with. Now you find out that you may be more submissive than you thought, so what? You're still the same Thomas to me, the same man I fell in love with.”

The younger man shudders, allowing these words to fill him from the inside and spark his hope that they will make it through this together. Still, he feels the need to stress just how severe his own state of mind is right now.  
“Robert, it may take a very long time until I will be able to leave these doubts behind and be the strong and confident Alpha you need. _If_ I am able to, that is.”

Robert looks at him and his eyes are determent as his hands drop to Thomas' waist and push him to the stairs. “I know, but please don't force yourself to be what you think I need. I will be the strong and confident one for you while you're dealing with this. Just take all the time you need.”

Thomas strokes over his mate's face, his heart aching with both love and sorrow. “I love you. I love you so damn much.”

The last thing he sees is a little smile tugging at Robert's lips before the Omega pushes him up the stairs and into the bedroom. They fall onto the bed with Thomas on his back and Robert on top of him and the Alpha's heartbeat speeds up in anxiety as he remembers what happened the last time he was underneath another man.

But then Robert kisses him softly and turns them until they are lying side by side and their bodies entangled. “Sleep now and let these poisonous thoughts rest. I will watch over you.”

Thomas chuckles at the words, but obeys instantly. “Thank you, Robert. I don't know what I would do without you.” He closes his eyes and buries his face in his mate's chest and it doesn't take long until he finally lets sleep take him, feeling protected in his mate's embrace...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter will be from Mario's perspective and just as a warning:  
> The chapter won't feel like an ending to this story (unlike 'Breathe Into Me' which was a self-contained story) because I have plans for two sequels. If I will actually write them, depends on you. Just be warned that last chapter of 'Feel Your Echoes' won't have a climax and an end that resolves this story.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, but the decreasing feedback especially for the last chapter has thrown me off a bit.  
> Thanks to having seen the amazing 5:1 win versus Arsenal London live in Munich yesterday, I had enough inspiration to finish this. :)  
> I'm too tired and drained to read through it again. I will write a proper note and check for mistakes tomorrow, for now enjoy the end of this story.
> 
> I still have two sequels in mind, please let me now if you are interested.

 

 

When Mario parks the car in the driveway of Mats’ house in Munich, it is already dawn. He feels horrible, having slept for barely four hours before taking Thomas’ car and leaving his Alpha alone. Again.

He didn’t wake Marco when he left as he couldn’t bear to see the hurt and sadness in his eyes for a second time and so Mario merely woke Erik to let him know that he would be leaving the Alpha in his care now.

Mario yearns for his Alpha, wants to feel his arms around him as they fall to sleep. The longing is even worse this time after he and Marco made love again. It had felt so right to lie naked on the bed with Marco’s love-filled eyes looking back at him, both of them losing themselves in their shared passion.

And it was also worse because this time Mario was the one who had fucked everything up. He evoked Marco’s rut and let somebody else pay the price for it. Mario isn’t sure what broke his heart more when he and Robert burst into Marco’s bedroom. Seeing his Alpha holding another man in his arms, the smell of sex in the air confirming that the two Omegas had indeed come too late. Or the sight of Robert and Marco fighting against each other with everything they got, something Mario had thought impossible until the moment he saw his Alpha tearing at Robert’s shoulder and the heavy smell of blood filling the air, confirming that his Alpha who had sworn to protect the older Omega had indeed broken his promise.

Marco had hurt his former lover, an Omega he still considered his.

Mario had thought it couldn’t get much worse than that as he lay on the ground, his head still spinning from the impact of Robert’s push that made his body collide with the wall. But then Thomas had tried protecting his mate and the unmistakable signs of fear and submission he had given off had broken Mario’s heart. 

Marco may have been the one who knotted Thomas, but it still was Mario’s failure. He left his Alpha when he most needed his Omega and Thomas and Robert were the ones who had to suffer now. 

It was only during his long drive to Munich that Mario had been able to think clearly about what’s happened and the consequences. He tried to shove away his guilt and sorrow because Marco had needed him to stay strong so he could come to terms with the bitter truth; the further havoc his actions have wrecked on the already messed-up relationship between these two Alphas and their two Omegas.

But now that Mario is alone again, he can finally admit to himself that this time he is to blame as well. He made his Alpha suffer and what’s even worse is that he may have irreparably damaged the relationship between Thomas and Robert. Robert is an Omega and given the bits and pieces Marco gave him on the older man’s backstory, Mario understands why he needs a strong and protective mate.

Marco tried to be such an Alpha for Robert and a little part of Mario has always felt guilty for taking him away from an Omega who clearly needed him. It was one of the main reasons why Mario had not once thought of keeping Marco and Robert apart, even when the Alpha went to Munich to help Robert through his heat.

Of course Mario trusted Marco not to betray him. But the main reason why the thought of forbidding Marco to help Robert had never come to him, was that Robert was Marco’s first Omega. And just because the Alpha had chosen his second Omega as the one who would become his mate, didn’t mean that Robert was suddenly out of the picture. He may have tried his very best to stay out of Marco’s and Mario’s life, but now the younger man is capable to see what should have been obvious. Neither time nor distance nor the Pole’s mating bond with Thomas has weakened the special connection between Robert and Marco. And apparently an unconscious part of Mario has always known that. Why else did he never see Robert as a threat to him? Why else doesn’t he feel anger at the Omega whose bond with Mario’s Alpha is the reason that he had to leave Marco?

He’s beginning to feel like Marco now; he recognizes their problems and where they come from but he has no clue what to do about them.

The only way to start resolving all these issues is to somehow break Marco’s and Robert’s bond which seems to be an impossible task. But it is the only way how Marco and Mario as well as Thomas and Robert can be happy with their mates. Right?

Now Mario is standing in front of Mats’ house, ringing the bell after a short moment of doubt whether it is a good idea to give himself over into the care of another Alpha in his current state. Marco’s scent will be clinging to him for a few days and given that both he and Mats are still unmated, it could trigger an unwelcome reaction from the defender. Especially because Mario will be staying in his house for a few days; a place that belongs to Mats and could possibly prompt his Alpha instincts to become a tiny bit possessive of Mario too.

The only other one who understands their current situation and who won’t ask questions is Erik and the Beta is already with Marco so Mats is the only option left.

But on the other hand Mats is the Alpha with the greatest self-control Mario has ever seen. He was even able to stay level-headed when he and Marco found Thomas and Robert in bed together, Thomas with a very recent mating bite and Robert very much in heat.

So as long as Mario doesn’t go into heat himself - which won’t happen as the next one is still a week away - there shouldn’t be a problem.

His thoughts are interrupted when the door opens and a still drowsy looking Mats appears. The Alpha blinks in surprise when he sees who it is.

“Mario? What are you doing here? I thought you were staying with Robert until Marco’s rut is-“ He breaks off and Mario can see realization dawning in his eyes. He takes a deep breath which only confirms his first thought. “You smell of Marco.”

Mario bites his lip and tries his best to keep his voice as devoid of emotions as he can. “Thomas called us for help because things were getting out of control. Marco was dying and he needed me.”

Mats’ face softens in sympathy. “You let him take you, didn’t you?”

Mario only nods, fearing that one word from him will break his composure.

Mats steps aside and when the Omega passes him, he asks the one thing Mario has hoped he wouldn’t. “Where are Thomas and Robert? They should have taken care of you, you’re not emotionally stable at the moment.”

_But neither are they,_ Mario adds silently before dropping his gaze to the Alpha’s chest, unable to meet his eyes as he forces out the lie from Robert’s text message.

“Robert had already left for Dortmund a day earlier than I because he was worried about his mate. And when Marco’s state got critical and it became apparent that I wouldn’t make it in time, he…” Mario can’t go on, unable to say the one thing that is true whether he told Mats this lie or the shocking truth. Either way he still let his Alpha down…

Mats pales. “No, you don’t mean to say that Marco and Robert…?”

Once again Mario nods and suddenly he finds himself being pressed against the Alpha’s chest. “I’m so sorry, Mario. I can’t imagine how you must feel like.”

Mats proceeds to pull him into the hallway and makes him sit down on the couch in the living room. Then the Alpha disappears for a few moments and when he comes back he shoves a cup of hot chocolate into Mario’s trembling hands.

Only then does Mario realize that he is crying. 

He has been trying to be strong for so long now, knowing that Robert and Marco needed his support and his guidance. But more and more he longs for his Alpha to finally be the one who takes charge of the situation.

Mario has always been proud to be an Omega, to have so much power over Alphas and become their center of attention without even meaning to. For years he longed for an Alpha who would become his mate and make him feel protected and cherished. He thought he had found all that in Marco. And his possessiveness regarding Robert only reinforced Mario’s belief, the way he protected his former lover. Mario was convinced things would resolve themselves once Robert found his true mate and it was only Marco and Mario.

That Marco would finally become the Alpha Mario yearned for so badly. But now Marco is more insecure than ever, his strange bond with Robert making it seemingly impossible for him to completely let go of the other Omega. Marco needs his mate’s guidance once again and Mario feels ashamed that he can’t give him that any longer; that he has become too weak and desperate for his Alpha’s possessiveness to be his solid rock any longer.

For the first time in his life Mario condemns his submissive Omega nature, being unable to shed his skin like Robert seems to do so easily.

The Pole is an Omega who likes to be dominant from time to time. And with Thomas having been forced to twist his Alpha nature, that’s exactly what Robert needs to be right now to save his mate from the self-doubt eating at him.

But Mario could never do that, he enjoys being an Omega too much. But he has shoved all of these unwelcome, negative feelings away and stayed level-headed, almost like a Beta would behave. Apparently for too long.

He is starved for his Alpha’s dominance. And that’s why their last lovemaking hurts so much because he enjoyed being the Omega who helped Marco find his release and ease the pain of his rut. To look up into the glowing red eyes of his Alpha and shudder at the raw dominance in them. To leave Marco afterwards shouldn’t have been so hard, but it took Mario every ounce of willpower to walk away from him again. 

And now he is sitting in the house of another Alpha, feeling miserable and yearning for Marco.

Mats chooses this moment to appear again, crouching down before him to make the Omega look at him. “Please don’t blame yourself for what happened yesterday. Marco needed an Omega to help him through his rut and like you said, Robert was the only choice. It was all about sex and an Omega helping an Alpha through his rut, nothing more.”

Of course Mats thinks that Mario is upset about the seeming ‘betrayal’ of his Alpha with his former lover. If that was the truth, Mario would indeed be devastated because he knows that Marco and Robert could never have sex with no feelings involved, not given their history and the bond they share.

So if there is one good thing about Marco taking Thomas is that at least the other Alpha doesn’t pose a threat to Mario.

“I know,” Mario replies eventually as he concentrates on the truth in Mats’ words. It was truly all about sex and satisfying the needs of a suffering Alpha.

“How is Robert now?” Mats asks tentatively. “I mean he just had sex with his former lover for whom he still has feelings. Not to mention that Thomas was probably not very pleased either.”

The guilt returns full-force at the reminder of the mess the couple is now in, even if it is a different one than Mats is imagining.

“Mats, can I take a shower? Maybe that will help a bit with sorting myself out.”

“Of course,” Mats replies instantly. “Take your time. You can take my stuff until we get yours back from Robert’s house.”

Mario nods gratefully and disappears into the bathroom, hoping that the shower will make him feel better. But despite the strong smell of Mats’ shower gel he feels like he can still smell Marco on him and it makes his longing so much worse.

When he eventually emerges from the bathroom with his hair still damp and wearing underwear that he has borrowed from his friend, he finds the Alpha waiting for him in the kitchen.

Mats is leaning against the counter and swallowing a spoon full of what looks like some kind of yoghurt. When Mario enters, the older man stills and a frown appears on his forehead.

“What’s wrong?” Mario asks confused.

“I don’t know. I just feel very strange all of a sudden,” Mats admits before shaking his head as though to clear his thoughts. “Come on, you should get a bit of sleep. You’ve been driving all night and you will need your strength if you want to join the training in the afternoon.”

He passes Mario and his frown deepens, but he keeps quiet until they have reached the guest room where Mario has been staying at a bit too often lately, at least for his liking.

Just when Mario has sat down on the bed though, the Alpha breaks his silence. “Mario, can I hold you?”

The younger man freezes, convinced he must have misheard him. “What?”

Mats shrugs helplessly. “I don’t know why I’m feeling this way, I just have this sudden urge to hold you right now. Can I? I promise I will behave.”

Still totally confused Mario nods his consent and watches as Mats sits down next to him. Then the Alpha slowly pulls him into his arms and Mario doesn’t know if it’s only his imagination or if the other man’s natural scent has truly become more intense. But before the Omega can ponder about it any longer, Mats has laid down on the bed, pulling the startled Omega with him.

Every alarm bell starts ringing in Mario’s head, but he doesn’t react yet because Mats has simply moved into a position where they are lying side by side in the bed. The Alpha has his eyes closed and a content smile on his face.

“Um, Mats, you don’t intend to stay here while I’m sleeping, do you?”

Mats’ eyes open and Mario flinches at the small shimmer of red in them. It is gone in the blink of an eye, but it was definitely there. “No, of course not.”

“Then what are you doing right now?” Mario retorts, feeling slightly anxious now.

“I really don’t know,” Mats replies and he sounds almost frustrated with himself. “All I know is that I want to hold you in my arms for a while longer. It’s your scent, it’s so sweet…”

Mario’s eyes widen at the familiar words; the same words that Marco uttered to him yesterday. While they were having sex. While Marco has been lost in his  _rut_ .

Marco rails back to the edge of the bed, bringing as much distance between himself and the Alpha. “Mats, you have to leave right now.”

The defender looks almost hurt. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“Because you seem to enjoy my presence far too much.”

Mats pales when he gets the implication. “Oh God, you think I’ll be having a rut soon?”

“You’re the Alpha, you tell me,” Mario replies and his heart is beating fast because if his suspicion turns out to be true, another Alpha he cares about will be in for a lot of suffering.

Mats swallows nervously. “I haven’t had a rut in years. I can’t believe I have to spend the next few days with a random Omega, just now when I’ve told him that I don’t need an Omega to be happy. Perfect timing.”

“Hold on,” Mario interrupts the older man. “What are you talking about?”

An uncharacteristic shy smile appears on Mats’ face. “Well, it seems like I’m in a relationship with somebody.”

“It seems?” Mario repeats curiously. “You have got to know whether you’re in a relationship or not.”

Mats sighs. “It’s complicated. We became friends very quickly because we share a lot of interests and beliefs. We are so alike and that’s the whole problem.”

“Why does it have to be a problem?” Mario asks, his fear of Mats’ upcoming rut momentarily forgotten. “I know they say opposites attract, but why shouldn’t two like-minded people also be able to become lovers?”

Mats drops his gaze and suddenly he looks so vulnerable. “I know, that’s not what I meant. The problem is that we are too alike physically.”

And finally the penny drops. “You’re in love with another Alpha?”

“Yes,” Mats admits sheepishly. “But don’t ask me how that could happen, I have no idea.”

Mario takes a moment to digest that surprising information because he had never considered for one second that somebody like Mats, who can be one of the strongest and most intimidating Alphas if he puts his mind to it, would want somebody else than a beautiful and willing Omega as his mate.

“Wow, that’s really unexpected. But I’m happy for you.” He hesitates but he’s just too curious not to go on. “But how exactly does that even work? I mean somebody has to give in and submit to the other one when it comes to sex. You Alphas love to dominate and I have never seen an Alpha who likes to bottom with anybody who isn't their mate.”

Mats shrugs his shoulders again. “We're not that far yet. All of this is too new and we want to take things slowly. Neither of us wants to do something premature only to regret it later on.”

Mario feels a smile tugging at his lips. “Am I going to get the name of your special Alpha?”

“I'm sure you will have figured it out on your own by the end of the day,” Mats remarks with a smirk. “Philipp said yesterday that we're quite bad at hiding that there is something going on between us.”

So it has got to be somebody from Mats' teammates. Mario ticks off his mental list of all Alphas from Bayern Munich's team, but nobody comes to his mind. Manuel is already taken and Mario has never seen one of the others from the national team like Jérôme or Thomas trying to make advances at Mats or even looking at him for too long. Well, at least not in that way because the Alpha is much too good-looking not to take a closer look at him from time to time.

So it has got to be one of the Alphas he has only recently got to know thanks to his transfer from Dortmund. 

Maybe it is Thiago?

The Spaniard has such an infectious energy and makes friends easily. And he has definitely a thing for taller men considering how he is always buzzing around Manuel, Robert, Thomas and everyone else who is at least half a head taller than him. Mats would definitely fit his type. But... Mats and Thiago?

“Stop thinking so hard,” Mats tells him with a laugh before standing up and walking back to the door. “I will leave now and get some sleep. Ruts usually make themselves known a few days prior, right? So I should be fine for one or two days longer. As soon as I notice that I'm getting worse I will break training off and leave.”

Mario nods even though he has a bad feeling about this. Instead he closes his eyes and turns to the side, falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

 

***

 

The next day Mario has to admit that Philipp was right, they are really obvious.

He is just getting changed when he notices that somebody is scowling at him and when he turns around, he finds Xabi standing there, his usually calm demeanor replaced by seething fury. 

The Alpha growls threateningly and Mario feels the hair on his neck stand up at the tone. “You smell of Mats' shower gel.”

“Xabi, calm down, I'm just staying at his place for a while,” Mario replies and raises his hands placatory, hoping that good reasoning will get through to the clearly jealous Alpha.

“You're staying at his place quite often lately,” Xabi replies and he takes a step closer. Mario suppresses a snarl of his own, knowing that every little provocation may be enough to let the situation escalate.

But suddenly Mats has placed himself between them, shielding Mario from the other Alpha. “Stop it, Xabi! Mario is Marco's mate, I would never dare to touch him.”

“That's what you're saying now, but in the end Mario still doesn't have a mating bite,” Xabi retorts after a moment. “You told me that you didn't need an Omega and now you're once again coming to training with an Omega who you like very much and who has just broken up with his Alpha. What am I supposed to think?”

Mats growls darkly. “He is staying with me because he needed my friendship and my protection.”

Xabi's fingers curl to fists. “I'm just learning to trust you, Mats, and our relationship is too new to take something like this.”

“I promise that Mario will never be somebody else than a friend to me. I have never felt any desire for him in all these years that we have known each other and that won't change, especially not now that I'm with you.”

It is deadly silent in the locker room for a while after Mats' confession while Mats and Xabi seem to stare each other down, both trying to get their point across. The older one eventually gives in and takes a step forward to put one arm around Mats, letting the taller one lick over his throat as a way to apologize before facing Mario again.

“I'm sorry, Mario. You don't deserve my mistrust and I swear it's nothing personal. I don't know why I'm behaving so strange.”

Mario grins. “No, it's fine. You Alphas are just strange sometimes, your emotions so easily getting the better of you.”

They share a laugh over the snide remark and instantly the tense atmosphere dissolves. At least until training starts. 

Thomas and Robert have arrived late and Mario has the suspicion they did so on purpose to avoid anybody seeing the Omega's bandaged shoulder and asking questions. Not to mention that Thomas is uncharacteristically quiet and clearly avoids being near most of his teammates. But things don't go smoothly – of course they wouldn't – and after barely an hour things get out of control.

It happens when Robert and Thiago are fighting for the ball, the smaller man eventually pushing Robert to the side in a playful tackle. Thiago chuckles as they both go to the ground and he lands on top of Robert's hips.

The Omega bites his teeth together to keep his hiss of pain inside, but Thiago sill freezes at the pained expression. “Lewy, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?”

“No, I'm fine,” Robert grits out and tries to push against the other man in order to make him stand up.

But Thiago stays in place, his nostrils flaring as he inhales deeply. “There's the scent of a strong ointment.” His eyes widen. “And blood.”

“It's just a scratch. Nothing to worry about,” Robert tells him instantly and perhaps the Alpha would have believed him. But even from afar Mario can see the rapidly growing red stain on Robert's white trainings shirt where his wound must have started bleeding again.

“Robert?” Thiago asks terrified and all of a sudden they are surrounded by the other teammates who haul Thiago off Robert.

Thomas is right in the middle, trying to pull his mate closer while their teammates are panicking. 

The Pole shakes his head. “Leave him be, it's not his fault. I was already wounded before.” 

“Who did this?” Thiago asks and his eyes are glowing red, anger and fury replacing his fear.

Robert manages to withstand his gaze and much to Mario's surprise, he even manages to stick to the lie despite facing the furious Alpha. “That's none of your business.”

He has barely finished when Mats snarls, eyes equally red as he tears down the collar of Robert's shirt, revealing the blood-soaked bandages. “This wound is severe, Robert. There is no way this could happen by accident, somebody consciously injured you.”

Mario pales at the meaningful look that the Alpha gives Robert. Mats thinks that Robert slept with Marco, there is only one conclusion he can draw. 

Thomas shoves Mats away, a warning in his eyes that still can't mask the fear as he tries to pull Robert behind him.

And clearly his lack of dominance doesn't go unnoticed.

Xabi turns to him accusingly. “You know what happened, didn't you? How could you allow this to happen?”

Thomas flinches as Xabi, Mats and Thiago turn to him, all three Alphas with red eyes that indicate they are not completely themselves. Which shouldn't be surprising considering they are all very fond of Robert who is an Omega that got hurt. Of course their natural instinct to protect the Omega would come through.

Thomas flinches, his body trembling as he finds himself facing his three furious Alpha teammates.

But suddenly Robert rounds Thomas and pushes Xabi away from his mate. “Don't you dare harming my mate.”

Thiago gives him an incredulous look. “He is your Alpha and your mate. He is supposed to keep you safe.”

He has barely finished when Robert has thrown himself forward with a snarl, pinning the smaller man down onto the ground. “Damn right, he is my mate and I won't let you talk like that about him.”

But Thiago isn't listening anymore. He inhales deeply again and his eyes widen. “You smell of Marco.”

“Yes, because I helped him trough his rut,” Robert retorts angrily.

For a long moment everyone is too shocked to respond, but then Manuel who has been standing at the sideline, unsure which side to take asks, “Is this why Thomas is behaving so strangely? Because you betrayed him with Marco?”

Mario takes a step forward, wanting to defend Robert, but the older Omega shoots him a warning look that tells him he better not says a word.

Then Robert faces Manuel again. “You're right. He is upset about my betrayal and he has every right to be.”

It should have been the end of this fight, but Thiago voices something that makes everything so much worse. “ Marco is a good Alpha, he wouldn't have been able to hurt you like that; to bite you so viciously when he's just had sex with you. Yet this is definitely the bite of an Alpha.” He hesitates before tunring to Robert's mate.

“Thomas, what have you done?”

Mario has just about time to realize what conclusion Thiago has made – that Thomas hurt Robert as a way of lashing out for his betrayal – when all hell breaks loose. Suddenly all Alphas are lunging themselves at Thomas, eyes glowing red and only driven by their instinct to get revenge for their injured Omega friend. The Betas as well as Robert are trying to protect the completely shocked and terrified Thomas, but it's all just a lot of growling and snarling. Mario takes Thomas' arm, trying to pull him away with him when suddenly Xabi stops him.

“How can you help him? You love Marco, you must be as hurt by this as Thomas is.”

But then Robert has lashed out and thrown the older man onto the ground, a red sparkle appearing in his already blazing eyes as he places himself in front of Thomas and Mario protectively. “Stay away from them, all of you!”

Thiago joins Xabi's side. “Why are you helping them? They hurt you.”

Mario expects Robert to finally admit that it wasn't Thomas who did this. But the Pole's eyes have completely lost their natural blue color, the glowing red replacing it as well as his almost black hair making him look like the scariest creature imaginable in this moment. When Thiago ignores the unmistakable warning of the power and dominance radiating from Robert and still takes a step forward, the Omega snarls in a barely human voice. “Stay away! They are mine to protect.”

Mario is completely taken aback by Robert protecting him like this, protecting him as though they are mated. He is too surprised to react, but Thomas finally reaches for Robert's shoulder. “Robert, you need to calm down.”

But to everyone's shock Robert shakes his head. “They are mine,” he repeats.  _They._ Not 'you' as in Thomas and Mario.

Mario has no idea what to make of that strange phrasing when their team physician Volker appears at the Alpha's side with a grim expression.

“Mario, I have a suspicion what is going on with everyone. Please let me take a blood sample of you.”

“Of me?” Mario repeats confused but lets Volker take one. Is he responsible for this mess?

The confirmation comes two hors later when he sits next to Robert and Thomas in the hospital and the doctor looks up from his device with a soft smile.

“Congratulations, Mr. Götze. You are pregnant.”

 

** TO BE CONTINUED **

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave comments and/or kudos! There's nothing more rewarding than some kind of feedback. :)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Day after Friday the 13th](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9610250) by [mariothellama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariothellama/pseuds/mariothellama)
  * [Two Sides Of A Coin](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9811400) by [Blue_Night](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Night/pseuds/Blue_Night)




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